[IPSM] LEBANON: Living War - A Call for Financial SUPPORT! An Independent MEDIA Initiative on Social Justice Struggles in Lebanon

[Stefan Christoff]

LIVING WAR: Reporting on Struggles for Social Justice in LEBANON
A Fundraising Appeal for an Independent MEDIA Initiative....!

This is a call for financial support and solidarity for an independent media 
initiative of CKUT Radio's Community News Collective in Montreal, with the 
collaboration of the Electronic Intifada, Free Speech Radio News and members of 
the Independent Media Center in Beirut.

Between June & September 2005, Stefan Christoff, an independent journalist and 
community organizer in Montreal, will travel to Lebanon to produce written, 
audio, and visual reports on present-day struggles for social justice in 
Lebanon. He will be the Electronic Intifada's "Special Correspondent" in 
Lebanon. Christoff will also be producing regular radio reports for Free Speech 
Radio News and recording material for a radio documentary series to be produced 
at CKUT Radio in Montreal and distributed to community radio stations 
throughout the world in the fall of 2005.

This independent media initiative coincides with a period of significant 
political change in Lebanon, following the assassination of former Lebanese 
Prime-Minister Rafik Hariri in downtown Beirut in February 2005. Hariri's death 
sparked a political shift in Lebanon, which saw the longstanding presence of 
approximately 15 000 Syrian troops in Lebanon come to an end. Also in recent 
months a series of sectarian bombings have taken place throughout the country, 
igniting a growing fear that Lebanon will relapse into the religious and 
political sectarianism which defined the 15 year civil-war from 1975 to 1990.

In this political context, the media initiative aims to explore grassroots 
political organizing and campaigns in Lebanon that oppose sectarian violence as 
well as Western military intervention in Lebanon and throughout the Middle 
East. Additionally, reporting for this project will focus on political 
movements that are struggling for broad principles of social and economic 
justice, in relation to other movements throughout the global south that are 
fighting for self-determination and against capitalist globalization.

Importantly, this project aims to focus on the politically diverse voices 
within Lebanese society that are not often broadcast or projected by major 
media outlets on a local and international level. In so doing, it will confront 
the international corporate media distortions of the current political 
situation in Lebanon. This project aims to give voice to the struggles of 
oppressed communities in Lebanon, from the hundreds of thousands of Palestinian 
refugees, to the working poor, to the foreign workers, and to progressive 
political movements in a social context in which upwards of 40% the population 
lives in poverty.

The existing budget for this independent media initative is approximately 
$3,000 Canadian, which takes into account travel expenses, equipment needs, 
including recording devices and basic living expenses.

It is only with YOUR financial assistance, solidarity, and support for this 
important initiative that the radio documentary project will take place. Please 
consider donating today. ALL financial donation information is included BELOW.

Thank you in advance for your support and solidarity,
Stefan Christoff
CKUT Radio Montreal --- www.ckut.ca
Tel: 514 398 6788
Email: christoff at resist.ca


"I have learned a great deal from Stefan Christoff's breakthrough reporting on 
and from Beirut. In the midst of the Bush Administration's propaganda campaign 
about spreading "democracy" through the Middle East, it is absolutely crucial 
that probing and engaged independent journalists like Christoff have the 
resources they need to bring us unfiltered and unembedded voices from the front 
lines of Lebanon's genuine grassroots struggles for self-determination. I urge 
you to support this project."

Naomi Klein, syndicated columnist and author, "No Logo."


----> If you are interested in supporting this project financially, you can 
make checks payable to "Stefan Christoff" and mail them to the following 
address:

Stefan Christoff
C/O CKUT Radio Montreal
3647 University Street
Montreal, Quebec
H3A 2B3, Canada

NOTE - Those wishing to make a contribution to this project that is 
tax-deductible under U.S. law for U.S taxpayers can make their donation through 
the Electronic Intifada. To donate, please visit the Electronic Intifada's 
donation page at:

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article2162.shtml


----> Details on Accessing Christoff's Reporting on Struggles for Social 
Justice in Lebanon:

Between June & September, Christoff will be filing regular bi-weekly reports 
for the ELECTRONIC INTIFADA, while also producing radio reports for CKUT RADIO 
& various community radio stations throughout the world.

You will find Christoff reports as the ELECTRONIC INTIFADA's "Special 
Correspondent" in LEBANON online at: http://www.electronicintifada.net.... You 
will hear Christoff's audio reports on CKUT Radio (http://www.ckut.ca) in 
MONTREAL at 90.3 FM. The radio reports will also be available for re-broadcast 
& download on-line at: http://www.radio4all.net....

ALSO, Christoff will be collaborating with Palestinian independent journalist 
Mohammed Shublaq of the Independent Media Center in Beirut for Free Speech 
Radio News (FSRN). These reports will broadcast on over 93 community radio 
stations throughout the world and will also be accessible online. All details 
concerning FSRN and the program's broadcast schedule can be found at: 
http://www.fsrn.org

AND Christoff will be recording and producing audio material for a larger radio 
documentary series entitled LIVING WAR, which will be edited and ready for 
broadcast in October 2005 and will be aired on CKUT Radio in Montreal and 
throughout community radio stations in Canada, North America and the world.

The distribution of this documentary will take place by Internet. CD mail-outs 
will be made available upon request to community radio stations.... If you are 
interested in broadcasting or distributing the LIVING WAR radio documentary 
project please do not hesitate to get in touch!


----> Information on Independent Media Activist & Community Organizer Stefan 
Christoff:

Stefan Christoff is a social justice organizer and media activist based in 
Montreal. Christoff has been active with various Palestinian solidarity 
organizing including the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) and heavily 
involved with the struggle of Palestinian refugees in Canada through the 
Coalition Against the Deportation of Palestinian Refugees. Christoff has also 
been active with various networks and organizations actively confronting 
capitalist globalization including the Peoples Global Action Network and 
locally with CLAC, the Anti-Capitalist Convergence in Montreal.

As a media activist Christoff is a long-time member of CKUT's Community News 
Collective. He has focused on forging connections between social justice 
movements and community based media initiatives. Stefan is also a regular 
contributor to Free Speech Radio News (FRSN.org) based in the U.S. Christoff's 
radio work has been broadcast on countless community radio stations throughout 
the world, including Canada, the United States, the UK, the Middle East & 
Africa. Christoff's written work has also been published in various media 
sources throughout the world, from the Middle East, to Canada, to the U.S. and 
the UK, including the Montreal Mirror, Lebanon's Daily Star, the Jordan Times, 
Z Magazine, Canadian Dimension, and the Electronic Intifada.

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