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House of Wisdom 2.0
Our Flagship Translation Program
670AD
The House of Wisdom
Muawiyah the 1st gathered a collection of books in Damascus, forming the library "Bayt al-Hikma", better known to us as the House of Wisdom.
Under Muawiyah's rule, the Umayyads appropriated Chinese paper-making techniques and joined many ancient intellectual centers, employing Christian and Persian scholars to both translate works into Arabic and develop new knowledge.
These were critical elements that directly contributed to the flourishing of scholarship in the Arab world.
2017
House of Wisdom 2.0
After a near-1350 year hiatus, the House of Wisdom is back, and it's needed now more than ever.
Eighteen of 23 countries included in the MENA region have serious threats to freedom of press & information, with MENA countries dominating the top 10% of media-oppressed countries. Only 3% of online content is available in Arabic. In contrast, yet Arabic is the 4th most spoken language among internet users.
We wanted to change this, and so the House of Wisdom 2.0 was born.
Making Information Accessible To All
Today, the House of Wisdom 2.0 is the largest multimedia content platform of its kind in the region, producing thousands of original videos and a treasure trove of translated articles and books each year. With our 220-strong team of translators, we have translated more Enlightenment information into Arabic than any other organization on earth. All of our content is free and is viewed more than 50 million times per year.
Views Of Our Curated Content To Date
205233062
What We Translate
We've translated articles & books and created content on subjects including civil rights, dictatorships, science, Charles Darwin, women's rights, evolution and even enlightenment itself.
The People Behind The Progress
Meet our translators, activists, editors and producers pursuing freedom of information in the Middle East
"It gives me a sense of motivation in my daily life knowing that I am doing something that is benefiting people all around the world." - Karam Bassam Fakri, Translator
"Many people can't read English content so having it translated into Arabic makes people expose to Wider authentic knowledge." - Aws Wafic Dayoub, Translator
"Bayt Al Hikma 2.0 empowers me because it broadens my knowledge about various fields such as, economics, sociology, medicine, history, mythology, psychology and more. In order to excel when translating texts that belong to the above mentioned fields, I have to read more, and thus enrich my knowledge more! Moreover, I feel that I am the one who lights a candle rather than cursing the darkness because I participate in rebuilding a damaged and weakened civilization. Being so proud about my work and my increasing contribution to the Arabic content." - Mohammed Hamida, Translator
"The feeling I have every night when I go to bed that I made a difference today is priceless. Not only do I make a difference in people's lives, but also in mine. When translating or publishing an article, you're also reading it and affected by it. It's a win-win situation for everybody." - Abdullah Arafa, Translator
"It is always a good feeling when we can provide anything, no matter how small to help change the world -at least the society around us- for the better, I see my involvement in Bayt Al Hikma 2.0 as nothing less than that." - Habib Mhd Munzer Zreik, Translator
"I'm more independent and proud than ever in my life. There are new concepts and ideas to deal with every day, which is thrilling." - Sarah Hasan Aldonia, Translator
"As a translator for Bayt Al Hikma 2.0, I find myself prideful in our project and its ambitious goals. My friends and family express their admiration for our work. Not to mention the great cultural and educational benefits I receive from translating different articles of various subjects." - Carmen Khaled Botros, Translator
"Working in this project really helps me to raise my self confidence as a translator who works under a management like Ideas Beyond Borders that is well known world wide, it's the kind of projects that helps you to expand your knowledge, which helps me in many fields like my education and many daily discussion topics." - Qusai Khaled Fahmi Abo Shama, Translator
"It helps me to improve in every facet of my life. In Bayt Al Hikma, I believe I can always get better, it's an opportunity to gain new experiences that will help me become better at anything I undertake. Not forgetting to mention that the feeling i get from doing some good for the world is priceless." - Alissar Bassam Ghanem, Translator
Help The House Of Wisdom 2.0 Project
Donate today. Your money goes directly towards translating valuable books, articles and information for those for those who need it.
Further Information
The Largest Go-to Source of Accurate Information on Enlightenment Topics in MENA
The House of Wisdom 2.0 program began with the translation of seminal works such as Steven Pinker’s Enlightenment Now and has rapidly grown to become a full-fledged producer of original and translated content. Today, the House of Wisdom 2.0 is the largest multimedia content platform of its kind in the region, distributing thousands of videos, articles, books, and podcasts every year. All of our content is free and is viewed more than 50 million times per year.
Overcoming State Censorship and Ignorance Every Day
Before Ideas Beyond Borders came on the scene, regional authoritarians could prevent young people from learning what it takes to develop a modern, enlightened society. But because we are headquartered in the United States, MENA authoritarians can’t easily shut us down.
A Burgeoning, Thriving Online Community
Above all, the House of Wisdom 2.0 is a community for Middle East and North Africa (MENA) youth to explore Enlightenment ideals and ideas, and ultimately bring them to life. Our 4.8 million followers are taking action to educate themselves about what it takes to develop societies that value freedom of expression, human rights, and pluralism.