Bassel Khartabil is a computer engineer who, through his innovations in social media, digital education, and open-source web software, played a huge role in opening the internet in Syria and bringing online access and knowledge to the Syrian people. Many people reading this blog know Bassel through his work as lead for CC Syria.

Coinciding with the 4th Arab Bloggers Meeting (at which Bassel was sorely missed) and the Geneva II Peace Conference, the #freebassel Campaign is announcing the call for pledges for Free Bassel Day 2014.

The second Free Bassel Day will be held globally on March 15, marking the second anniversary of his imprisonment and the third anniversary of the beginning of the Syrian civil war. We encourage you to join the CC and #freebassel communities and get involved.

For more information or to share your pledge for Free Bassel Day, contact the #freebassel campaign at love@freebassel.org.

Projects already in the works:

• Bassel Junto: This week, Disquiet Junto is running a music project to honor Bassel (See our previous post).
• #freebassel album: Fabricatorz will release an album on #FREEBASSELDAY. Contact freebassel@fabricatorz.com for more information.
• #freebassel cookbook: The Big Conversation Space is collecting recipes from Bassel’s family, friends, and supporters, to be released as a digital cookbook on Free Bassel Day. Contact freebasselcookbook@gmail.com for more information.
• Letters for Bassel – Niki Korth is leading an effort to collect handwritten and typewritten letters to Bassel from friends, family, and supporters (See our previous post).
• Join the global Thunderclap on March 15.

For more information or to submit your Free Bassel Day event or project, visit freebasselday.org.

Related

• Letters for Bassel
• Free Bassel, Free Culture
• Lawrence Lessig’s WSJ Article on Bassel Khartabil