Special session: The Mediterranean: Cultural Dialogue after the Arab Spring
Special session: The Mediterranean: Cultural Dialogue after the Arab Spring
The Mediterranean: Cultural Dialogue after the Arab Spring
Special Session: October 28th 2011, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Together with the German Foundation IFA (Institute for Foreign Cultural Relations), a special session of the Conference is organized, devoted to the special situation in the Mediterranean countries and the new cultural dialogues that are arising.
Participants at the Conference “European Culture” can join this session, that is open –upon registration- also to a broader audience.
The topic
What next for Europe’s foreign cultural relations in a dynamic Arab World that changed the outlook of the Mediterranean?
Following decades of dialgue under different names and concepts, and as the Arab socio-political landscape underwent radical changes over the last few months, a new chapter in the Mediterranean dialogue between Europe and the Arab World becomes evidently indispensible. From the peaceful revolutions in Egypt and Tunisia to the civil war in Libya and the bloodshed in Syria, the expectations dictated by the wind of change are best expressed in the voices of representatives of the Arab civil society, while the potential responses are best echoed in the answers offered by their European counterparts.
What are the expectations of the Arab civil society regarding Europe’s foreign cultural relations? How have these expectations changed with the recent upheaval in the Arab region? Can Europe stand up to these expectations? From a foreign cultural policy perspective, what can Europe offer to promote the Arab Civil Society in the fields of Human Rights, Culture and Gender? With whom should Europe work in the civil society landscape? Should it work with individuals, NGOs and institutes or should the focus be given to specific fields rather than to entities? Should Europe rethink its approach to culture as an element of its neighborhood policy in the light of the dramatic changes witnessed by the region? Is there a shared vision of a cultural partnership?
These are the major questions that guide the dialogue embraced by this symposium, organized by the IFA and the UIC within the framework of the "European Culture" Conference, taking place at the UIC.
To ensure that the scope of dialogue is wide enough to encompass and tackle different dimensions of civil society activity, the symposium is thematically diversified. The three themes conceived for the sessions are areas of common interest in the Mediterranean:
Human rights and political aspects: democracy and participation
Culture
NGOs and civil society; the role of the social networks
Women’s perspective
Agenda
11:00 a.m. - Registration (not needed for registered participants at the Conference “European Culture”)
11:30 a.m. - First Session: Human Rights & Political Aspects; Culture
13:00 p.m. - Lunch Break
3:30 p.m. - Second Session: NGOs and Civil Society; Women’s Perspective
5:30 p.m. - Third Session: A European Response
6:30 p.m. - Closing Remarks & End
Panels (All panels moderated by IFA scholar)
First Session: Human Rights & Culture
Panelists: Ms. Samah Hijawi – Mr. Amine Ghali
Following a track record of successive human rights abuses by several authoritarian regimes that have been instrumental in repressing freedoms, the Arab civil society is living a historic moment where, more than any other time, it can press for more respect for the individual and its rights as guaranteed by the constitution and protected by law. From freedom of expression and all the way to minority rights, the stakeholders are simply everyone in the Arab World. Europe can bring more insight into this institutionalization of human right as well as human rights education. Culture has been the magical word in dynamising the Mediterranean dialogue, and the guaranteed investment (along with education) in a better future. Despite the profusion of efforts directed to capacity-building and in aumenting cultural infrastructure and programming, much work remains pending in order to fully realize the untapped potential in the Arab World.
The social networks are playing a major role in the changes in the Arab world. They are the most vissible phenomen of the so called civil society, that –like in the changes in Central/Eastern Europe at the end of the 2oth century- is being the protagonist in the shift of paradigm. Speaking of potential, women have been at the forefront of almost all the Arab revolutions and movements, but now the question is whether Europe’s foreign cultural relations can empower them to be at the forefront of the future decision-making process as well.
A specialist in online communication and social media strategies, Leila Nachawati contributes to several media like Aljazeera English, Global Voices Online, Global Voices Advocacy and Periodismo Humano, where she writes about human rights, with a special focus on freedom of speech in the Middle East and North Africa. She holds degrees in Arabic Studies, English Studies and International Cooperation and she has worked in the US, Spain, Syria and Morocco.
Third Session: European Response
Panelists: The European speakers repond to the issues raised by their Arab counterparts, reflecting on their expectations and arguments, while bringing their own insights and expertise as to what Europe can offer through its foreign cultural relations in the areas of Human Rights, Culture, Civil Society and Gender.
Closing Remarks
The Arab speakers make a final statement representing their comment on the reflections made by their European counterparts and concluding the symposium.
Speakers
Ms. Fatima Azzahrae Shaabani (Morocco)
A researcher and a cultural activist from Morocco with an MA degree in Cultural Policy and Management from the UK. She worked for Yale University in 2008, where she explored thoroughly the impact of Globalization on the Muslim woman’s practices, attitudes and changing perspectives. Recently, Fatima founded a Cultural association in Rabat to enhance reading, thinking and discussion among raising Moroccan intellectuals.
Ms. Samah Hijawi (Jordan)
A cross-disciplinary visual artist whose recent projects have focused on the working in public spaces to include the participation of the audience. She is also a cultural manager in several local independent projects in the visual arts, and works as a consultant with Makan Art Space where she has been involved in workshops for young people in collaboration with Municipality of Amman, among other projects. She is also a writer on contemporary Jordanian arts with contributions in several local and international publications, and also lectures in Contemporary Art in the Arab World.Mrs. Leila Chebbi Ayari (Tunisia)
She is the President of the Irtikaa Association for Active Female Participation and she is involved in civic awareness and participation.
Mr. Amine Ghali(Tunisia)
Amine Ghali is the Program Director of Al Kawakibi Democracy Transition Center (KADEM) working on issues of democracy, reform and transition in the Arab region (activities and initiatives in more than 10 Arab countries). Currently he focuses his contribution on the democracy transition process in Tunisia, especially on political reform, on elections and on transitional justice issues. Before joining KADEM (position held since 2008), he worked in a number of regional and international NGOs such as Freedom House and Center for Arab Women Training and Research (CAWTAR). Amine Ghali holds a Masters Degree in International Development Law from Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne, Paris; and a Bachelor Degree in International Management from University of Houston, Texas. He took part in a number of special courses and trainings in human rights and democratisation.
Ms. Leila Nachawati (Syria)- confirmed
A specialist in online communication and social media strategies, Leila Nachawati contributes to several media like Aljazeera English, Global Voices Online, Global Voices Advocacy and Periodismo Humano, where she writes about human rights, with a special focus on freedom of speech in the Middle East and North Africa. She holds degrees in Arabic Studies, English Studies and International Cooperation and she has worked in the US, Spain, Syria and Morocco.
Marc Gafarot:
Holds a degree in Humanities from the Universidad de Navarra, an MSc in European Studies from the London School of Economics and an MA in Latin American Studies from the University of Liverpool.
As a journalist and political commentator he has worked from London for Bloomberg LP, in Latin America for Summit Communications and served as a Parliamentary Adviser at the European Parliament in Brussels and Strasbourg. Gafarot is currently Head of International Relations for Catalan International View.
He has written a book on Flanders and Federalism in Belgium called (The Death of Belgium: the Gradual and Peaceful Flemish Emancipation) and co-authored The Student’s Guide to European Integration. He works for a number of Catalan newspapers and magazines and media outlets.