Al Munathara #DD is the Arab world’s longest‑running independent debate series, with 26 live episodes broadcast between 2012 and 2022. It was created to amplify Arab voices often excluded from public discourse, including youth, women, and refugees, by giving them a direct platform to express their views on critical regional issues and engage with policymakers, activists, and influential public figures.
The show aired across more than ten regional broadcasters- including Al Jazeera Mubasher, France 24 Arabic, and Libya Al Ahrar- while also reaching millions online via Munathara’s Facebook and YouTube channels.
Each debate cycle followed a participatory model that began online and extended into live broadcast. It opened with Al Musabaqa, an open video competition where Arabic speakers from around the world submitted 99‑second arguments for or against a selected motion. In parallel, Munathara organized debate and public‑speaking workshops in 15 Arab and European countries, focusing on marginalized communities such as refugees, rural youth, and women. These workshops equipped more than 13,000 individuals with the skills and confidence to speak and debate publicly, many of whom went on to submit videos to the competition.
After submission, the videos entered a public voting phase, where viewers across the Arabic‑speaking world selected the arguments they found most compelling. Finalists with the highest votes were then paired with well‑known policymakers, scholars, or activists to form teams for a live studio #DD showdown. During each debate, the studio audience voted both before and after the discussion, and the team that swayed the most votes was declared the winner. This model ensured that every debate was an audience‑centered event grounded in persuasion, not authority.
The debates addressed a range of urgent and often sensitive issues impacting citizens across MENA societies, including human rights, regional conflicts, authoritarianism, economic hardship, the refugee crisis, women’s political participation, minority rights, freedom of speech, the role of religion in education, democracy, and social justice. In a region where open dialogue is rare, #DD offered a unique platform for civil disagreement and public accountability.
While the show concluded in 2022, its influence continues. It has inspired several subsequent shows and spin‑offs, fostered debate literacy across the MENA region, and set a lasting standard for inclusive political dialogue in Arabic media. Ten years on, #DD remains a benchmark for what open, participatory public discourse can look like in the Arab world.
