Take a Look Back at Global Voices’ Headlines From 2014 · Global Voices
15,000 people marched in downtown Mexico City against the disappearance of 43 students from Ayotzinapa. Photo taken on 8 October 2014 by <PERSON>. Copyright: <PERSON>
The 64-year-old leader of the Guajajara tribe in Brazil spends 26 hours in a tree protesting the eviction of activists from a former indigenous museum.
A Nepalese girl becomes more popular than <PERSON> in her hometown for her skills on the football pitch.
Citizen journalists in Algeria expose police brutality against Ibāḍī minority protesters demanding better life conditions.
Like years past, 2014 had moments of happiness and heartache, strength and sadness, and everything in between. Global Voices’ community of authors and editors from around the world worked hard to cover these and other important stories missed or misreported by mainstream media. Before we turn the page on 2014, let's take a look at a selection of highlights from this year's coverage.
Social media stories
Our special coverage “Dispatches From Syria: Marcell Shehwaro on Life in Aleppo” gave readers a personal glimpse of life in the heart of Syria's armed conflict, as told by blogger and activist <PERSON>.
As Israel dropped bombs on residential neighborhoods and hospitals during its deadly offensive against Gaza over the summer, doctors tweeted the tragedy witnessed in the Strip's emergency rooms.
The moment u see Drs crying , Is the moment when u realize all the red lines have been crossed #GazaUnderAttack #Gaza pic.twitter.com/PniVeAsiaF
— Dr.Bassel AbuWarda (@DrBaselAbuwarda) julio 23, 2014
20-year-old <PERSON> blogged about life and death in Gaza: “I decided to devote my life to telling the story of our suffering because I felt that having survived I owe something to the martyrs.”
In Iran, women have stealthily but publicly taken off the hijab, which is mandatory in the country, and uploaded photos of themselves to Facebook and Twitter.
In Kyrgyzstan, a woman recalled her terrifying bride-kidnapping experience for her Twitter followers. 926
In Kazakhstan, 17-year-old volleyball player <PERSON> earned a large following online for her good looks, but the teen has turned the attention into a platform to talk about the difficulties Muslim sportspeople face fasting during Ramadan.
In India, a debate ensued on social media about the merits of sharing graphic photos of the lifeless bodies of two teenage girls hanging from a mango tree.
In Thailand, providing regular updates about the country's ever-changing situation, “coup selfies” quietly protested the military junta at a time when the army was threatening to censor social media.
And a twist on the viral #IceBucketChallenge dared people around the world to upload videos of themselves speaking in an indigenous language, such as North American languages like Kwak'wala and Lakota and the Miriwoong language from Australia.
People rising
Thousands upon thousands of people in countries throughout the world united to challenge those in power. Frustrated Venezuelans took to the streets in the first half of the year to demand better security and relief from food shortages. Later in the year, they also protested the government's disproportionate and deadly response to the demonstrations.
In Mexico, people continue to rally for the safe return of 43 student teachers, who went missing after their convoy was attacked, first by local police agents, and then by organized crime members.
In Taiwan, activists who came to be known as the Sunflower Movement occupied the legislature for three weeks in April and May, after the island's ruling party approved a controversial trade bill with China without bipartisan discussion.
Months later, the pro-democracy Umbrella Revolution took off in earnest in Hong Kong, with protesters peacefully occupying the center of the city to demand that the Hong Kong and Beijing governments allow the people to choose the candidates in the next chief executive election.
Staff from Apple Daily News showed their determination to keep the newsroom operating after the mob attack on October 13. Photo from <PERSON> Facebook.
Global Voices authors stayed on top of the tumultuous situation in Ukraine, from the escalation of the #Euromaidan protests in Kyiv and the ouster of President <PERSON>, to Russia's annexation of Crimea and fighting between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian forces. With misinformation and propaganda swirling around the current conflict in the country's east, our special coverage “Eastern Ukraine Unfiltered” offered a series of interviews with local bloggers and citizen journalists in the region, who are playing an increasingly important role.
And in Brazil, demonstrations against the government's massive public spending on the World Cup and forced evictions for World Cup infrastructure raged before and during the mega-event. 341