The last day of 2022. It’s been a wild ride for most of us: an unpredictable global market, global conflicts, and inflation that just won’t disappear. 2022 was also the year The Levant News was buried, and The Liberum was born. Some of our highlights in case you accidentally missed them.

By Arthur Blok
In the months before The Levant News became The Liberum (late fall 2022), many new contributors, journalists, scholars, authors, and specialists joined the editorial team. The Liberum - an old Latin term for ‘the free’ - advocates a free digital marketplace of ideas and thoughts.

Freedom of speech and the fundamental right to seek and publish information through an independent press is under attack. Now more than ever. The Liberum is an answer to that and offers a podium for uncensored ideas and stories that do not necessarily make it to mainstream media.

A new website built by Melvin Visser the great and Claudia Douehi, our in-house design wizard.

The Unapologetic tv-interviews and articles in this new category are a bold illustration of that. Always wondered how China has the US and Russia on a leash, how Europe got hooked on Russian gas, who the hell Klaus Schwab thinks he is, or how the Liberum predicted an unprecedented Economic crisis in Europe?

It is all there.

If that is not enough, right before the summer kicked in, writer, media expert, blogger, producer, director, and media consultant Talal Chami joined the editorial team. Despite all his accomplishments, Chami likes to call himself a media guy. Visit his section, The Axles of my Wagon Wheels, here.

A few weeks earlier, the renowned Kahlil Gibran Collective also decided to share its content with The Liberum. The collective is dedicated to the late poet and artist Kahlil Gibran (1883-1931). Managed by dedicated researchers such as Glen Kalem Habib, Francesco Medici, and other scholars. I was wondering if it’s Kahlil Gibran or Jubran Kahlil Jubran. Read all about it (and much more) here.

Of course, The Liberum would not be itself without usual suspects.

Let’s start with the leading suspect: managing editor Dr. Emad Aysha. For years a beacon of trust and stability for the Levant News. Not your ordinary managing editor, but a published science-fiction author and researcher with a very cool personal website.

Being a leading voice in Arab science fiction literature, Aysha has been hosting since the launch of The Liberum Emad’s SF. Because everybody needs a voice, Arab and Muslim science fiction is no exception. This is Emad's gift to his colleagues across the region and beyond.

Another leading suspect is our in-house cartoonist Joon W. All the cartoons on this website, including the one above this article, are from his hand. What would we do without him? Joon W. rocks.

Another pillar of this platform is the contributions of Angel NicGillicuddy (Russel Lee Morris). Angel is not only a modern-day poet and storyteller but a medium with a refreshing economic vision based on old economic teachings but through a modern-day lens.

His section: Angel.

Emilie Fakhoury, who started his second year in our editorial team, enlightened our readers with everything you always needed and wanted to know about corporate matters. Senior political analyst Marco Mattiusi spoiled us with various spot-on analyses about Lebanon. His latest piece on Western hypocrisy towards Qatar can be read here.

We were honored to publish various reports from senior risk management and banking expert Mohammed Ibrahim Fheili. A man with a clear economic vision and detailed and accurate views of the Lebanese economic crisis and other global financial matters. Read more here.

It has been more than two years since Serbian pen master Nikola Mikovic joined our editorial team. Being a senior European, Russian, and Caucasus expert, Mikovic is never afraid to make bold statements on events in that region. His latest contribution, Vladimir Putin: moron or traitor, illustrates that. A database with all his work can be found here.

Right before this year’s closing, the Liberum proudly added bestselling Lebanese author Karim El Koussa to its list of contributors. His work combines religion, History, Philosophy, Spirituality, and Esoteric inner insights. His excellent new section can be found here.

There is much more to come in the new year. Very soon, Lebanese artist Fadi Balhawan is launching a special art section. Please keep visiting our platform to find out more.

On behalf of the editorial team, we would like to wish you a happy and healthy 2023.