As keynote speakers we have the honour to welcome:

- European perspective: Dr. Rosa Balfour, Senior Policy Analyst, European Policy Centre

- Arab perspective: Adel Atieh, Counsellor, General Delegation of Palestine to the EU

For more information visit: www.euroarab-forum.eu

A New European Parliament: New Euro – Arab Relations? A conservative and a progressive perspective in debate

Speakers:

Hannes SWOBODA MEP, Vice-President PSE Group

Edward McMILLAN-SCOTT MEP, Vice-President of the European Parliament, EPP Group

1. Programme
2. Welcome note
3. Report
4. Reactions of participants

The EAF has now its own website where the latest events and event reports can be found and watched: www.euroarab-forum.eu

The EuroArab-Forum discussed with the European Movement and MEDEA on a possible future cooperation in Brussels on topics related to Europe and the Arab World.

The next topics that are organised by MEDEA and the European Movement are:

- September 30, 2008 : Mr Hugues Mingarelli, Deputy Director-General for External Relations, European Commission will speak on the following theme : “Analysis of the 13th of July summit : Union for the Mediterranean : the Civil Society and the South-North Mediterranean Dialogue initiative“.

- October 17, 2008 : Mrs Wassyla Tamzali will present us her book “Une éducation algérienne, de la Révolution à la décennie noire” (“An Algerian education, from the Revolution to the balck decade”), ed. Gallimard, Price France Télévision Essai 2008.

The EuroArab-Forum decided to launch its own website after the summer. The EuroArab-Forum core team is working on the structure and the content. If you have suggestions for the content please let us know. Thanks, Olaf D.

Dear interested in the EuroArab Forum,
With a discussion on the topic: “How does Media influence reforms in the Arab World?” the EuroArab Forum is participating in this year’s EuroMed Night of Dialogue**. The format of our EuroArab Forum stays the same with keynote speaker’s presentation and a Q&A session. The only exception is that we will have our EuroArab Forum on a Thursday instead of the usual Wednesday.

For our next EuroArab Forum we have the honour to welcome:
Nadim Hasbani * and Labib Fahmi (journalist of AlJazeera Brussels office, tbc), as the keynote speakers.
Topic:  „How does Media influence reforms in the Arab World?”
Date: Thursday, 22 May, 8 p.m.
Place: “Le Cercle des Voyageurs” (18, rue des Grands Carmes, 30 m from Manneken Pis)

For the registration may we kindly ask you to register via the following website: http://www.key2advance.com/registration.php until Monday, 19 May. Should you have any further questions do not hesitate to contact me via: olaf.deussen at gmail.com.

We are looking forward to your participation, input and a fruitful exchange of ideas.

Yours sincerely,

Mona Shair, Alexander Geiger, Johan Vrints & Olaf Deussen
——————————————————————–
*Background on Nadim Hasbani

Nadim Hasbani is the Arab Media Analyst of the Brussels-based International Crisis Group (ICG). Besides, he is giving lectures on Arab media in several Belgium universities and is running a consultancy, providing political risk assessments on the Middle East (www.mideastrisk.com). Prior to joining the ICG Media Unit in 2004, Nadim worked at the French defence equipment producer Giat Industries and at the Mission of the Arab League in Paris.

** Further information on the EuroMed Night of Dialogue can be found on the Anna Lindh Foundation’s website: www.1001actions.org/en or on the website created for this occasion by the Belgian ALF network: www.ihecs.be/nuitdudialogue/

Strategies, methods and contents of a meaningful dialogue are centred on multiple, dynamic and overlapping cultural identities. This book is an invitation to leave the beaten tracks of dialogue events entertained by “representatives” of cultural or religious organizations. The key concept is cultural diversity between and within societies. Cultural policies can support human development as “a process enlarging people’s choices”, following orientations provided by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and UNESCO. To mark the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 2008, the author calls for renewed commitment to universal values as a “common standard to be achieved by all nations and peoples”, and not as “European values”, separating Europe from other regions.Traugott Schoefthaler, born 1949, was from 2004 to 2007 the first Executive Director of the Anna Lindh Euro-Mediterranean Foundation for the Dialogue between Cultures, established in Alexandria, Egypt, by the EU Member States and their ten Mediterranean partners. He developed and tested the strategies and methods presented in this book in close cooperation with other institutions and organizations. He is theologian and sociologist and obtained his PhD for cross-cultural research. He started his career in the Max Planck Institute for Human Development and Education and served more than 20 years the United Nations and UNESCO. From 1993 to 2004, he was Secretary-General of the German Commission for UNESCO.

Traugott Schoefthaler: Adventures in Diversity. New Avenues for the Dialogue between Cultures.

Bonn. German Commission for UNESCO 2007, 176 p. (ISBN 3-927907-99-5)

Book orders: info@unesco.de ( German Commission for UNESCO, Colmantstr. 15, 53115 Bonn, Germany)

Free download of the publication under http://www.unesco.de/adventures_in_diversity.html?&L=1

Liebe KollegInnen,

wir möchten gerne alle interessierten PraktikantInnen und AssistentInnen zu einem informellen Themenabend zur Westsahara-Problematik einladen. Dazu wird auch Ray Mesaud von der diplomatischen Vertretung der Westsahara kommen, den einige von euch bereits kennen, und über die Lage in den besetzten Gebieten erzählen.

Wann? 11. Februar ab 20.30h

Wo? Rue Jourdan 71/C2; 1060 Bruxelles (bei Karin)

ACHTUNG: Da die Klingel nicht funktioniert, bitten wir euch, kurz bei Günther unter 0032 (0)487361911 oder
Irene unter 0032 (0)488612113 anzurufen, wenn ihr da seid.

Im Anschluss laden wir zu Couscous und Getränken bei einem gemütlichen Zusammensein ein.

Hintergrundinformation (Quelle: Wikipedia):

Die Westsahara ist ein Territorium an der Atlantikküste Nordwestafrikas, das nach dem Abzug der ehemaligen Kolonialmacht Spanien von Marokko beansprucht und größtenteils besetzt wurde. Marokko betrachtet das in vorkolonialer Zeit in einem losen Abhängigkeitsverhältnis zu ihm stehende Gebiet als Teil seines Territoriums. Die bereits zu spanischen Kolonialzeiten entstandene, ursprünglich kommunistisch orientierte ‘Befreiungsfront’ der Saharauis, die Frente Polisario kämpft für einen unabhängigen Staat als Demokratische Arabische Republik Sahara in diesem Gebiet. Die Vereinten Nationen verlangen die Durchführung eines Referendums über den endgültigen völkerrechtlichen Status des Gebietes. Über die Modalitäten der Durchführung eines solchen Referendums konnte bisher keine Einigkeit zwischen Marokko und den Vertretern des saharauischen Volkes erzielt werden. Seither sieht Marokko den Plan zur Durchführung eines Referendums als gescheitert an und bietet die Autonomie des Gebietes unter marokkanischer Souveränität als endgültige Lösung an.

Für alle jene, die dies noch nicht gemacht haben: Bitte bestätigt euer Kommen so bald als möglich per Mail oder Telefon.

Wir freuen uns auf euer zahlreiches Erscheinen. Gerne könnt ihr auch weitere Interessierte mitbringen.

Liebe Grüße,

Günther, Irene und Ray

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°
Büro MEP Mag. Karin Scheele
Europäisches Parlament
Büro ASP 15 G 250
B-1047 Brüssel, Rue Wiertz 60
Tel.: +32 2 284 7397
Fax: +32 2 284 9397
Homepage: www.karinscheele.at

Chers Amis,

conférence-débat, le vendredi 15 février à 20.00 à l’Auditoire Paul-Emile Janson à l’ULB:

“L’Islam et les Lumières”

(débat en francais)