Yemen Feature: A View from the Ground of the Youth Movement (Al-Akhali)
The development and organization of Yemen’s youth movement has not been instantaneous but, rather, has taken several months. At the start of the revolution, the youth gathered in hundreds of small groups. These groups then formed alliances with each other, eventually creating cross-country youth coalitions. The youth movement’s diverse membership also contributed to its growth and development. For instance, while some leaders took to the streets, living in open-air squares dubbed ‘Change’ and ‘Freedom’ and rallying grass-root support for the protests, other leaders interfaced with international media, arranged meetings with representatives from the international community, and spread news about the protests via blogs and social media sites.
Rafat Al-Akhali, Yemen