"Free Connected Minds" (FCM) is "Free Connected Minds" (FCM) is a one-day interactive conference that explores imperative and innovative social, political, and economic issues. It also examines business and connectivity in local, regional, and international contexts that impact individual and collective thinking. This distinguished conference will include three main chapters: Freedom, Connectivity, and Innovative Minds.

Every year, key stakeholders, media and business figures, as well as politicians and international figures attend the conference every year in order to benefit from inspiring panel talks and influential personalities. Thus, they would be more than excited and honored to have such a successful and talented figure among them.

8:30 Registration

9:30 Opening Ceremony

Master of Ceremony:

Maurice Matta, Head of economy department at Annahar newspaper, Producer and Presenter of the Financial News on MTV

Welcome Notes:

Dr. May Chidiac, Founder and President of the MCF – Media Institute

Achim Vogt, Resident Representative Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Lebanon

Patronage Note:

H.E. Ghassan Hasbani, Deputy Prime Minister of Lebanon, Minister of Health

10:00 – 10:30 | Fireside Talk

• H.E. Miguel Angel Moratinos, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs and cooperation of Spain.
• Moderator: Youmna Naufal, Creator and Host of YChats, Former Head of English News at Future TV (Lebanon)

Minds Chapter

10:30 – 11:30 | Panel 1

"The State of the World and the Emerging Leadership Models in the Era of Post-Globalization"

• The fate of democracy in a leaderless and hyper-connected world, where the interest of communities, religions, economic entities, ethnicities have become more emphasized than the nation state.
• The effect of populism, the rise of authoritarianism, and imperial thinking in several countries.
• Which leadership model according to the many tested ones before and in the present, would be the most adequate in the future?
• Speakers:
• - Alberto Fernandez, The Middle East Broadcasting Networks, Inc. MBN President (US-Cuba)
• - H.E. Marwan Muashar, Former Deputy Prime Minister of Jordan, Vice President of Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (Jordan)
• - MP. Alec Shelbrooke, Member of the UK parliament (United Kingdom)

Moderator: Frederic Charillon, Professor at Sciences Po (France)

11:30 – 11:40 | Presentation

"The Role of Emerging Business Leaders in Shaping the New Globalization in The Rise of Economic Nationalism & Digital Integration"

Roula Moussa, Founder of Netways, Leading Digital Transformation Firm & DisporaID a Digital Platform to Engage Lebanese Dispora in Investment & Development in Lebanon (Lebanon)

11:40 - 12:00 | Coffee Break

Connectivity Chapter

12:00 – 12:50 | Panel 2

"The New Face of International Business"

How must companies operate in order to adapt to the rapid growth of e-commerce? How is information technology pushing the business world forward ten times faster? How will the telecommunications sector be affected by this projected growth? How should traditional companies change in order to compete with the new high tech companies? What jobs will still be around in the years to come and which ones will disappear? Will consumers' behaviour change according to the flow of innovative tech trends?

Speakers:

• Luigi Gambardella, President of ChinaEU, (Italy)
• Emre Gurkan, CEO of Touch (Turkey)
• Leila Serhan, General Manager Microsoft MENA Region (Lebanon)
• Dr. Fouad Zmokhol, President, Association of Lebanese Business People in the World - RDCL World (Lebanon)

Moderator: Toufic Gebran, Journalist, Producer, Media Specialist (Lebanon)

12:50 - 13:40 | Standing Lunch

13:40 - 14:10 | Fireside Talk

"Fighting Extremism in a Highly Radicalized World: Media and Terrorism"

Ali Jaber, Group Tv Director MBC. TV series "Gharabeeb El Soud" or "Black Crows" (Lebanon)

Moderator: Paula Yaacoubian, TV Journalist (Lebanon)

14:10 - 14:40 | Keynote Speech

"Campaign to Free 170 Journalists in Turkey"

Ms. Barbara Trionfi, Executive Director IPI (Austria)

Freedom Chapter

14:40 - 15:30 | Panel 3

"Highest Decline in World Press Freedom"

A recent report released by Freedom House has revealed that the world has reached the lowest decline in Press Freedom in 13 years with 62% of countries having regressed. This is driven by unprecedented threats to journalists and media outlets in major democracies, intensified crackdowns on independent media in authoritarian settings, and moves by the Russian and Chinese regimes to increase their influence beyond their borders. Officials in several countries in sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and Asia extended restrictive laws to online speech, or simply shut down telecommunications services at crucial moments.

This panel will tackle the reasons behind the massive decline and will address the future consequences of such decisions by state authorities.

Speakers:

• Sofia Amara, Grand Reporter/Filmmaker (Morocco-France)
• Baker Atyani, Bureau Chief Asia for Arab News (Jordan)
• Jes Aznar, Independent Photojournalist (US)
• Pierre Haski, Journalist, President of Reporters Without Borders (France)

Moderator: Youmna Naufal, Creator and Host of YChats, Former Head of English News at Future TV (Lebanon)