About Hayya Bina
Hayya Bina was founded in May 2005, as a public interest group to promote civil liberties and citizenship involvement in political and social issues. Hayya Bina seeks to unite Lebanese on the basis of citizenship values that transcend sectarian belonging. As a group, Hayya Bina believes each Lebanese citizen has the right to participate in his or her political and social life as an individual, not defined solely by religious affiliation, entitled to enjoy all rights and freedoms outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In order to foster a society which respects civil liberties, Hayya Bina is actively creating a space for independent voices to express themselves, engage in dialogue, and establish networks. As the monopoly of the press in Lebanon is both enshrined by law and reinforced by the political elite, creating a neutral platform for legitimate political and social criticism is of utmost importance for Hayya Bina. Through its publications, interactive website, mailing list, and the small initiatives and encounters it has undertaken, Hayya Bina is highlighting the egregious violations of civil liberties that are taking place on a daily basis in order to inform and galvanize the Lebanese public around the importance of their rights and duties as citizens.
Since its foundation, Hayya Bina has striven to undertake creative and engaging activities to generate debate around violations of civil liberties among people of diverse backgrounds.
John
