Credit: NDI
Recent turmoil across the Middle East signals the possibility of a second Arab Spring, one observer suggests, noting that across the Arab world, an increasing number of citizens disagree with the “use of religion for political gain,” according to a recent survey:
Dr. Abdulkhaleq Abdulla, a former chairman of the Arab Council for Social Sciences, said that the YouGov findings suggest that the days of using religion for political gain are over. With unrest continuing in several Arab countries, including Iraq and Lebanon, Abdulla sees it as a second round of the so-called Arab Spring, this time gripping Algeria, Sudan, Lebanon and Iraq.
“Lebanon’s Protests and Prospects for Change” is the focus of a forum at the Arab Center, featuring speakers Leslie Touma, executive director of the American Task Force for Lebanon; Patricia Karam, regional director of the International Republican Institute’s Middle East North Africa Division; Reema Abuhamdieh, a reporter for the Al Araby Television Network; Joe Macaron, resident fellow at the Arab Center; and Imad Harb, director of research and analysis at the Arab Center. 2 p.m. December 10, 2019. Venue: National Press Club, 14th and F Streets NW, Fourth Estate Room, Washington, D.C. RSVP
Youth Initiative for Human Rights
The National Endowment for Democracy hosts a discussion on “Strengthening Human Rights Through Youth Engagement: Views From Mongolia, Uganda, Pakistan, Kazakhstan and Colombia.”
Speakers include Dolgion Aldar, board member and former CEO of the Independent Research Institute of Mongolia; Catherine Kanabahita, executive director of the Development Network of Indigenous Voluntary Associations; Marvi Sirmed, founding president of the Ideas Hub and correspondent at the Daily Times; Viktoriya Tyuleneva, project director at the Freedom House Almaty, Kazakhstan Office; Pedro Villarreal, executive director of the Foundation for Press Freedom; and moderated by Zerxes Spencer, director of the NED fellowship programs.
2pm: December 10, 2019. Venue: NED, 1025 F Street NW, Suite 800, Washington, D.C. RSVP to press@ned.org.
