People in the Middle East and North Africa have greater access to the Internet, technology and online tools and platforms than ever before. At a time when traditional space for political participation seems to be shrinking, citizens across the Arab world are demonstrating their commitment to building a better and more democratic future by continuing to build their skills, share information and advocate for change through the online means accessible to them. As Internet penetration continues to grow in the Middle East and North Africa, what does the future hold for online engagement in the sphere of democratic development?
Join the National Democratic Institute on Wednesday, March 2, 2016 for a discussion with guest speakers Katie Harbath from Facebook and Derek Caelin from PeaceTech on the opportunities that lie ahead and the reveal of NDI’s new Arabic e-learning platform, TaalamSharek.
What: A New Era in Online Engagement: Uncovering Opportunities in the Middle East and North Africa
Who: Hosted by the National Democratic Institute
Where: NDI Boardroom; 455 Massachusetts Avenue NW, 8th Floor, Washington, DC 20001
When: Wednesday, March 2, 2016, 12:00-2:00 pm. A light lunch will be served at noon.
Opening Remarks
Leslie Campbell, Middle East and North Africa Director – NDI
Facebook, the Middle East and Helping Non-Profits
Katie Harbath, Global Politics and Government Outreach Director – Facebook
The Case of Iraq: How Local Organizations are Using Technology
Derek Caelin, Specialist – PeaceTech Lab
Official launch of TaalamSharek, NDI’s Arabic e-learning platform
Lila Jaafar, Senior Program Manager – NDI
A core institute of the National Endowment for Democracy, the National Democratic Institute is a nonpartisan, nonprofit, nongovernmental organization working to support and strengthen democratic institutions worldwide through citizen participation, openness and accountability in government.
