We met Sabirul at the Future 100 award event for this year’s Global Entrepreneurship Week. He was sharing his experiences, selling himself as a motivational speaker and soliciting investment for his book and board game which encourage entrepreneurial spirit in young people.  In the video below taken from his website; he tells his story.

Learn more about his book (which he self-published and sold 42,500 copies of in the first nine months) after the jump.
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Mohammad Ali Abtahi, the former Iranian vice-president and leading reformist in the administration of President Mohammed Khatami (1997 to 2005) was yesterday released on bail of $700,000 (£424,000) pending his appeal. Mr Abtahi has been sentenced to six years’ imprisonment for fomenting unrest after President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s disputed re-election in June. The most senior of hundreds of dissidents to have been locked up in the past five months “confessed” to his alleged crimes during a state televised trial that has been internationally denounced in similar fashion to Mr Abtahi’s claims about the election, as ‘a swindle’.

The protests on the streets of Tehran were of an unprecedented scale and the reaction of the Iranian Government speaks for itself as the regime has gone as far as to state that the protests were illegal whilst nationally televising rallies that support the Government. The right to protest is a fundamental part of any society, especially a democracy but Iran is not a democratic state, indeed it is one that is deeply divided. The main split, between those who support the Government and those who do not, appears to centre around different and opposite understandings of Iran’s political evolution since the 1979 revolution. One side wants a gradual evolution of democratic institutions and a more democratic reading of Islamic institutions, whilst the other desires a more a populist and authoritarian reading of Islam. Both sides claim to represent the majority of the population which is difficult to prove either way although it can be argued that the split is also one between the younger, more globally-minded individuals who wish for Iran to have more connections to the outside world and those who feel that Iran has been bullied culturally and politically by the West and trust in Mr. Ahmadinejad to deliver the revolution’s promises of economic and social justice.

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After successful feedback and sales of the Dylan Don’t Sing for Tesco t-shirts, Aspecks was commissioned to print two more designs for The Co-Operative Party as well as some more Dylan t-shirts. Check out the print video for the Fred Perry and The Feeling’s Mutual designs.

For more information about The Co-Operative Party’s The Feeling’s Mutual campaign please visit http://thefeelingsmutual.org.uk

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The founders of Aspecks have been recognised as part of the Future 100 Young Social Entrepreneurs of the Year awards for 2009.  As part of Global Entrepreneurship Week the Future 100 Awards puts the spotlight on young people aged 18-35 who are demonstrating entrepreneurial flair and innovation in running a responsible business venture; one which demonstrates a balance between economic, environmental and social goals to achieve ultimate business success. Global Entrepreneurship Week is looking to unleash people’s enterprising ideas to tackle some of society’s biggest issues such as climate change, poverty, gender equality and health. The Future 100 awards encourages and rewards extraordinary vision, ethical business practice and social responsibility. They aim to showcase businesses that offer innovative and sustainable solutions to social problems. As you know Aspecks is an ethical enterprise that is designed to facilitate the exchange of culture and knowledge to help break down the various boundaries that exist in our Global Society. Consequently, Aspecks took the initiative to get involved with Global Entrepreneurship Week in order to explore the many opportunities that this week offers.

The granting of the award is testimony to Aspecks’ commitment to global society, the environment and ethical business practice and values. As a matter of policy we print on ethically sourced and sustainable t-shirts usually ‘fair trade’. The benefit of this can be seen in the growing commercial work we have completed for the Co-Operative Party. Similarly in October 2008 we were commissioned to design and print t-shirts for the Pathfinder Project.

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We’re heading to “Kingston Town” courtesy of “Poppa Alba” – Alborosie.

Two years ago, this ode to Kingston by Alborosie took the Reggae music scene by storm. The authenticity of his musical artistry and the vividness of the video make it easy to believe that Alborosie was raised in Jamaica and grew up speaking patois. This is however not the case.  Having reached the pinnacle of the Italian Reggae music scene with a band he started in 1993; he emigrated to Jamaica permanently in 2001 from his native Sicily. Being an accomplished musician who plays, produces and studio-engineers his interpretation of Reggae he has been able to gain favour with his peers and some acclaimed pioneers of the Reggae community. The videos below tell the more of story:

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