Search
Tenth Annual conference of Arab Thought Foundation
Arab Spring: What’s Next?
Introduction
Ever since the Arab Thought Foundation launched its first annual conference, “FIKR” conferences have visited different Arab capitals and cities, tackling the challenges and concerns of the Arab World, discussing the current events, seeking to strengthen the Arab position on the world map, and shedding the light on the potential and new capabilities that carry the constructive seeds and changes that would enhance and improve the Arab future.
The conference in its tenth edition intersects with the critical and accelerated events our Arab World is going through, and lines with the implications of the “Arab Spring” events. This expression given to the revolutions occurring in some Arab countries requires attention and evaluation of its dimensions, tracks, and impacts. This choice goes with the Foundation methodology in raising the major current Arab Affairs (every year) in its annual conference, and in hosting different Arab thinkers and some foreign professionals and interested guests, to study and present acceptable visions and ideas. ATF is keen on preserving its impartiality in managing a conference under a free intellectual umbrella and providing the good climate for a civilized objective dialogue.
Days:
| Day 1 - 10 Mouharram 1433 H corresponding to December 5, 2011 AD | |
|---|---|
|
9:00-11:30 |
FIKR & AFKAR Session New projects and ideas as well as exceptional experiences that could inspire the audience and have a positive impact on our Arab. Moderator: Maher Kaddoura - Social Entrepreneur - Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Speakers: Abdul Aziz Tarabzoni - Consultant at McLarty Associates, first Saudi Youth Ambassador to the United Nations - KSA Mohammed S. Al-Lai - CEO, Al-Amal Microfinance Bank - Yemen Abdul Mohsen AlAjmi - CEO of wasmlabs.com , Founder of Reyadah.com – Kuwait Mohammed Alraffei - Founder & CEO at CORD – EGYPT Sabreen Taha - Journalist, TV reporter, and editor – Palestine Nabil Labassi - Lawyer & Human Rights Activist – Tunis Mostapha Salameh - Motivational Speaker and Outdoor Expedition consultant – Jordan Mohammad Al-Shami - Project Manager with Resonate! Yemen Foundation – Yemen Bassam Jalgha - Engineer & Entrepreneur – Lebanon Adel Al Marwani- Founder of Athar Training Company, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia |
|
11:30-13:00 |
Break |
|
13:00-13:40 |
Official inauguration Welcoming notes of: Dr. Soliman Abdel Moneim, Secretary General, Arab Thought Foundation Speech of: HRH Khalid Al Faisal, Chairman, Arab Thought Foundation Honouring of: HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai |
|
13:40-14:00 |
Keynote Speech from Partner Sponsor by: AbdulRahman Bin Fahed Al-Wuhaib, Senior Vice President Operations Services, Saudi Aramco, Kingdom of Saudi Aramco |
|
14:00-15:00 |
Break |
|
15:00-16:30 |
First Session – Why Spring in Winter In front of a historical and sudden turning point, so-called "The Arab Spring", the Arab World is witnessing many turnovers and changes. The Youth were themselves pioneers. However the question is what are the reasons that led to this “Spring” in this period of time and what is the main driving force for these changes. • Did the causes of the Arab Spring find the right timing? • Was the Arab citizen forced to lead a project for change, or had he continually sought for it for so long, without the conditions being adequate yet? • Is the Arab Spring an outcome of a political maturity and awareness acquired by Arab people through the years and different historical eras? Moderator: Nadim Koteich, Executive Producer and Talk Show Host, Future News, Republic of Lebanon Speakers: Abla Abou Elbah, Member of Parliament, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Mohammed Auajjar, Member of the Supreme Council for Audiovisual Communication, Morocco Mohamed Noman Galal, Expert in International Strategic Studies, Kingdom of Bahrain Mahmoud Shamman, National Transitional Council Information Minister, Libya Shafeeq Ghabra, Professor of Political Science, University of Kuwait, State of Kuwait |
|
16:30-18:00 |
Second Session – Economic Challenges There is no doubt that the political crises have led to a deteriorated economic situation and social disturbance that became in its turn, the main driving force for Arab revolutions. Unemployment is now threatening everyone, and the problem of growing unemployment requires finding an immediate solution and searching for productive investments that may guarantee a minimum level of economic stability. These facts lead to social stability, which is a right every citizen is entitled to enjoy.• What are the expected challenges? How can the economic stability be realized and preserved? • Is it possible that, what is considered today a loss or an economic recession has a positive impact on the long run? • How would the impact of world crises be on the Arab world in general and on countries that have experienced the Arab Spring in particular? Moderator: Mohammed Chatah, Senior Foreign Policy Advisor to Prime Minister Saad Hariri, Republic of Lebanon Speakers: Bashir Messaitfa, Senior Lecturer in Economics, Algeria University, People's Democratic, Republic of Algeria Jawad Al Anani, Senior Economist and Chairman of Al Baseera Consultancy, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Mohammed Al Dahshan, Policy Consultant and Writer, Arab Republic of Egypt Tarik Yousef, Chief Executive Officer, Silatech, State of Qatar Yasar Jarrar, Partner in PwC Middle East, United Arab of Emirates |
| Day 2 - 11 Mouharram 1433 H corresponding to December 6, 2011 AD | |
|---|---|
|
10:30-11:45 |
Third Session – The State Following the spread of the current revolutions in the Arab World, it appears difficult for political regimes to overlook the need for the reforms people are continually calling for. It becomes crucial that these regimes undertake an impartial review and draw a consensual road map in their policy and programs. • How can we read the future of political regimes after the Arab Spring? • Between State and Non-state, how would the Arab political movement be revealed? • Who leads the transition period, and lays the foundation of the new pillars of political regimes? Moderator: Mahmoud Al Werwary, Presenter of Hiwar AlArab at Al Arabiya Channel, Arab Republic of Egypt
Speakers: Ali Alkheshaiban, Columnist at AlRiyadh Newspaper, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Amre Moussa, Former Foreign Minister and Former Secretary General of the League of Arab States, Arab Republic of Egypt Khalil Gebara, Academic and Head of the Good Governance Unit – Saad Hariri Office, Republic of Lebanon Mohieddine Amimour, Former Minister of Culture, People's Democratic Republic of Algeria Tarek Mitri, Former Minister of Information and University Professor, American University of Beirut, Republic of Lebanon |
|
11:45-12:15 |
Break |
|
12:15-13:45 |
Fourth Session – Arabs, Neighbors and the World The so-called Arab Spring prevailed in a few Arab countries, however many of them remained isolated from that unrest. Would the Arab Spring be an incentive for more work on coherence and support for the foundations of the modern state? In the midst of these changes, the relationship between Arab states was affected, as well as their relationship with neighboring countries and the world. • Will the Arab Spring affect the relations between Arab countries? Are we witnessing new alliances and maybe the strengthening of the Arab world through the Arab League? • Which role are neighboring countries playing in the making of the current Arab events? Is it possible to preserve the political, economic, social and intellectual habits and Arab sovereignty? • What are the consequences of foreign intervention in the Arab Spring events, and is such interference welcomed?
Moderator: Saad M F T Alajmi, Publisher of Alaan E-magazine, State of Kuwait
Speakers: Abdul Hussain Shaban, Head of the Documentation Centre of International Law in Beirut, Republic of Iraq Meftah Etwilb, Director of International Relations, Libyan Red Crescent, Libya Mohamed El-Hacen Ould Lebatt, University Professor and International Expert, Mauritania Turki AlFaisal, Chairman of the Board of King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies |
|
13:45-15:00 |
Lunch Break |
|
15:00-16:30 |
Fifth Session – Does Culture have a Spring? People’s culture defines their identity, taking up a large space in their history pages. Both culture and politics have always played an important role in understanding people’s history, in defining their destiny and in planning for their future. Therefore, we cannot overlook the role of culture in this new era of the Arab history. • Does the Arab Spring have an intellectual and cultural philosophy that Arab intellectuals seek to adopt, develop and promote? • “Culture of Change” dominates the spirit of the Arab Spring; are we witnessing the raise of a new culture? How does it affect the Arab identity? • What is the role of Arab intellectuals during these times?
Moderator: Salah Jarrar, Minister of Culture, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
Speakers: Adballah Seyid Ould Bah, University Professor, Mauritania Dhiya Al Musawi, Shura Council Member, Kingdom of Bahrain Fatma Al Sayegh, Associate Professor in History, United Arab Emirates University, United Arab Emirates Tahar Labib, University Professor and Director of the Arab Organization for Translation in Beirut, Tunisia Ziad Aldrees, UNESCO Saudi Ambassador, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia |
| Day 3 - 12 Mouharram 1433 H corresponding to December 7, 2011 AD | |
|---|---|
|
10:00-11:15 |
Sixth Session – Women, Youth and Cyberspace In the midst of the Arab Spring, the alliance between traditional and modern media and technology was clear and obvious. It is worth noting that the leaders of this coalition are the Youth themselves. This coalition contributed to the creation of a new communication tool to reflect the idea, whether it is a political, economic, social, or subsistence idea. It has reflected the reality and incited Arab citizens and foreign analogues to adopt their stance regardless of its nature. • Did this alliance contribute to revealing the reality or to distorting it? • Revolutions and modern media: Who served who? • Did television prove being the strongest media and cannot be defeated by any modern media? • How credible is social media? • New media: is it limited to Youth and the privileged class? • Did the Arab Spring contribute to the empowerment of Arab women at both political and social levels? Moderator: Mahmoud Al Werwary, Presenter of Hiwar AlArab at Al Arabiya Channel, Arab Republic of Egypt Speaker: Asma Hedi Nairi, Researcher in Criminal Sciences and Parliamentarian in the International Youth Parliament of Water and Representative of Arab and African Youth , Tunis Fayez AlShehri, Writer and Researcher in New Media, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Ghassan Hajjar, Managing Editor of An-Nahar newspaper, Republic of Lebanon Samer Younis, Regional Trainer and Social Activist, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Sultan Saoud Al Qasemi, Non-Resident fellow, Dubai School of Government, United Arab Emirates |
|
11:15-12:30 |
Seventh Session – The Arab Spring, What’s Next? Now that the Arab Spring has imposed its presence on the international scene, the Arab citizen has discovered ways for change and taking charge in the design, while planning an exhaustive program that guarantees a decent lifestyle to all Arabs. • Is the Arab mind prepared to transition to a new political, economic, social and intellectual era? • Would the next stage carry radical changes at all levels, or would it be an extension of the pre-Arab Spring with some minor changes and amendments? • What is the impact of the Arab Spring on future generations? Would these generations continue to see the specter of the pre- Arab Spring or is a new era awaiting them? Moderator: Fatima Zahra Daoui, Senior Presenter, Al Arabiya, Morocco Speaker: Abdulelah Belqaziz, Professor of Philosophy at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Hassan II University Casablanca, Morocco Ahmed Obeid Al Mansoori, Member of the Federal National Council, United Arab Emirates Fahad Al Orabi Al Harthi, President of Asbar Centre for Studies, Research and Communications, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Hamood Abutalib, Writer, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia |
|
12:30-14:00 |
Break and Networking |
|
20:00 |
Arab Creativity Award |
