Beirut, 12 October 2026— The organization “SMEX” is holding the “Bread & Net” forum, the leading forum in the region in the field of digital rights, on 14, 15, and 16 October 2026 in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, under the slogan “Spaces We Imagine.” This year’s forum seeks to open the space for participants to think broadly and creatively about alternative infrastructures, governance models, technologies, and forms of solidarity and movement-building, in a way that contributes to shaping the future of the internet in our region.
The forum brings together an elite group of technology experts, policymakers, legal practitioners, social entrepreneurs, journalists, human rights defenders, academics, researchers, media professionals, and artists to discuss pressing issues related to technology, society, and human rights.
This gathering aims to strengthen the expanding digital-rights movement in West Asia and North Africa, through supporting the exchange of knowledge, research, and resources that contribute to empowering civil society in its endeavors toward reaching safe, just, and inclusive digital spaces.
“Bread & Net” 2026 addresses a set of key issues that directly affect millions of citizens in the West Asia and North Africa region, most notably: the reckless use of artificial intelligence in wars, the unregulated use of technology, surveillance and repression and digital authoritarianism, digital transformation, internet governance, open and alternative sources, and children’s safety online.
A full program of activities and events awaits the speakers and participants, including: keynote lectures and panel discussions, workshops and meetings within small working groups, and opportunities for sharing and collaborating with prominent figures in the field of digital-rights advocacy.
The forum also includes a specialized art exhibition that highlights the intersection of art with technology and its relationship to society, through combining artificial intelligence with the digital archive to preserve heritage and memory, and defending privacy and digital rights against surveillance and technological control.
In this context, Mohammad Najem, the Executive Director of “SMEX,” says: “Technology has become an essential part of our lives, and today we cannot separate technology from any sector. We want to dream of an alternative digital future where technology serves society instead of controlling it, and where individuals enjoy a real and effective ability to influence the systems that touch their lives.”
The “Bread & Net” forum welcomes everyone, and it is a forum open to all who are interested in how technology affects human rights, and its role in promoting these rights or suppressing them. We invite participants from academic circles, civil society organizations, policymakers, and the private sector to join us in our pursuit of a more inclusive, safe, and respectful digital future.
What is “Bread & Net”?
The organization “SMEX” annually holds the “Bread & Net” forum, the first regional event on digital rights and freedoms in West Asia and North Africa. The forum provides human rights defenders in the digital age with an opportunity to join trusted and diverse networks, expand their knowledge about digital rights, and work collectively to urge those in power to respect and protect digital rights. The forum aims to build and strengthen the digital-rights movement in the West Asia and North Africa region, and to provide it with the knowledge and tools necessary toward more freedom, social justice, accountability, and security for all the peoples of the region.
About “SMEX”
“SMEX” is a non-profit organization concerned with promoting, supporting, and defending human rights and freedoms in the digital sphere in the West Asia and North Africa region. “SMEX” works to enable the region’s inhabitants to access the internet, mobile-device services, and networked spaces, and to interact with them safely and without fear of censorship, surveillance, or negative consequences. We monitor digital-rights violations through reporting them and organizing campaigns, and we conduct research, trainings, and advocacy campaigns on internet policies and digital rights, to push toward expanding the scope of the platforms available and participatory for individuals and civil society. “SMEX” also provides a free and rapid technical response service to support individuals and organizations in facing digital threats and attacks through the “Digital Safety Helpdesk.”
*We at Silat Wassel are also pleased to announce our media partnership with the “Bread & Net” forum for this year, 2026. This partnership comes out of our belief in the importance of shedding light on the issues of digital rights, freedom of expression, and digital safety in the Arab region. We will accompany you through our platforms to convey the most prominent discussions, sessions, and solutions put forward by the experts and activists during the conference.
For contact and media communication:
● Forum coordination:
Saleem al-Zein — Coordinator of the “Bread & Net” forum
Email: saleem@smex.org
● Media and press inquiries:
Abed Kataya — Head of the Media Department
Email: abed@smex.org
Phone / WhatsApp: +96176828422
Website: Breadandnet.org | smex.org
