ACYPL Summit, Amman, Jordan, Day 3

The Opening Plenary Session,

The Next Decade: Arab Spring or Fall?

The presenter was Shadi Hamid, Director of Research, Brookings Doha Center in QATAR, facilitated by Jay Footlick (ACYPL Alum and Trustee).   His research interests are Islamist political parties and reform in the Middle East.  He talked about U.S. response to transformations during the Arab Spring ... and suggestions for moving forward

This was followed by a discussion with

Perceptions of a Writer, New Yorker Middle East Correspondent, Peter Hessler

in conversation with Linda Rotunno, the CEO of ACYPL.  He shared his observations and lessons learned from the 2 weeks he spent in the mosque in Tahrir Square.  You can read more here

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/12/19/111219fa_fact_hessler

I also include a few photos from around Amman.

ACYPL Summit, Amman, Jordan: "Revolution 2.0: Promoting Political Change through Social Media"

In the afternoon, I participated in a breakout session:

"Revolution 2.0: Promoting Political Change through Social Media"

The facilitator was Co-Founder of the Trustees of the Revolution in Egypt. 

What a privilege it was to have the opportunity to meet with one of the leaders of the revolution. To hear and learn first-hand first-hand about the organization and implementation of the revolution.

One of the things he pointed out was that it would be a myth to call it the "facebook revolution," because 40-50% of Egyptians are living in poverty and do not have PCs or the internet at home. However, he did describe the important role of technology and social media.

ACYPL Summit, Amman, Jordan: Breakout Session: Empowerment of Women in the Region

In the afternoon of Day Two of the Summit, I participated in a Breakout Session

"Breaking the Silence: The Empowerment of Women in the Region"

the facilitators were a member of the Tel-Aviv City Council in Israel and a corporate attorney who is also the Co-Founder of a Women's Lawyer Network based in UAE.

One of the many different topics we discussed was sexual harassment -- and responses to it in the US and in countries throughout the Middle East.
Tamar conducted a survey in Tel-Aviv and found that 90% of the women responded that they had been sexually harassed in broad daylight, in public, more than once in their lives. She wrote an article about this study, which I would love to read.

It was at this panel that I met Raya and how the Women's Rights in the Middle East project got off the ground.

Pictured here -- the equipment used for simultaneous translation during our discussion and the view of Amman from the conference room window.

ACYPL Alumni Summit, Amman, Jordan

ACYPL -- the American Council of Young Political Leaders -- hosted an Alumni Summit in Amman, Jordan in December 2011.  (I was a delegate to Egypt and Morocco in 2002.)

See http://acypl.org/  for more information about ACYPL

I was so pleased to be a part of the Summit, which brought together alumni who traveled from the US to Jordan, Israel, the Palestinian Territories, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Iran and alumni from Jordan, Israel,the Palestinian Territories, and Egypt who traveled to the US. The delegates were from a variety of political parties who hold a variety of positions in local, state, and national government and who had participated in ACYPL exchange programs over the last several decades. It was a diverse group, and the format of the sessions provided many opportunities for meaningful dialogue.

During the Opening Session we were welcomed by the US Ambassador to Jordan: 

The Honorable Stuart E. Jones.  

http://jordan.usembassy.gov/ambassador2.html

The Ambassador discussed the Arab Spring and democratization efforts in the Middle East, and he explained the US's different responses in different countries.  When talking about Jordan, he mentioned proposals to create a Constitutional Court and an independent electoral commission, which, of course, piqued my interest.

We were also welcomed by the Minister of Social Development and member of the National Assembly of Jordan: Her Excellency Nesreen Barakat (also an ACYPL alum) who shared her experiences as an ACYPL delegate to the US and who inspired us with her comments about young people around the world who are driving forces for change. 


The Keynote Address: "American and the Middle East Transformation."

I found Dalia Mogahed's (Executive Director of Gallup Center for Muslim Studies) remarks to be incredibly interesting.  She reviewed the results of Gallup polling data collected throughout the Muslim world.  An engaging Question & Answer session followed her remarks.

Here are some talking points from her book:

 http://www.gallup.com/corporate/103213/dalia-mogahed.aspx

 http://www.gallup.com/press/104209/Who-Speaks-Islam-What-Billion-Muslims-Really-Think.aspx

 

Who Speaks for Islam? What a Billion Muslims Really Think

by John L. Esposito and Dalia Mogahed

Are we on the verge of an all-out war between the West and 1.3 billion Muslims? When the media searches for an answer to that question, they usually overlook the actual views of the world's Muslims.

Who Speaks for Islam? is about this silenced majority. This book is the product of the Gallup World Poll's massive, multiyear research study. As part of this groundbreaking project, Gallup conducted tens of thousands of interviews with residents of more than 35 nations that are predominantly Muslim or have significant Muslim populations.

Gallup posed questions that are on the minds of millions: Is Islam to blame for terrorism? Why is there so much anti-Americanism in the Muslim world? Who are the extremists? Where are the moderates? What do Muslim women really want?

Grounded in Gallup World Poll data, not in contentious rhetoric, Who Speaks for Islam? brings data-driven evidence -- the voices of a billion Muslims, not those of individual "experts" or "extremists" -- to one of the most heated and consequential debates of our time.

Counterintuitive Discoveries in Who Speaks for Islam?
Who speaks for the West?Muslims around the world do not see the West as monolithic. They criticize or celebrate countries based on their politics, not based on their culture or religion.
Dream jobsWhen asked to describe their dreams for the future, Muslims don't mention fighting in a jihad, but rather getting a better job.
Radical rejectionMuslims and Americans are equally likely to reject attacks on civilians as morally unjustified.
Religious mainstreamThose who condone acts of terrorism are a minority and are no more likely to be religious than the rest of the population.
Admiration of the WestWhat Muslims around the world say they most admire about the West is its technology and its democracy -- the same two top responses given by Americans when asked the same question.
Critique of the WestWhat Muslims around the world say they least admire about the West is its perceived moral decay and breakdown of traditional values -- the same responses given by Americans when posed the same question.
Gender justiceMuslim women want equal rights and religion in their societies.
RespectMuslims around the world say that the one thing the West can do to improve relations with their societies is to moderate their views toward Muslims and respect Islam.
Clerics and constitutionsThe majority of those surveyed want religious leaders to have no direct role in crafting a constitution, yet favor religious law as a source of legislation.
Adapted from Who Speaks for Islam? What a Billion Muslims Really Think by John L. Esposito and Dalia Mogahed.
Copyright © 2007 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved.

ACYPL Summit Jordan: Baptismal Site

Dipping my hand in the Jordan River near where Jesus was baptized was one of the most profoundly spiritual events in my life.

I never thought I would have the opportunity to visit this site.  Indeed, I learned in the travel guide that this has only been cleared of land mines and open to the public for the last 10 years. The barbed wire, machine guns, and military vehicles were reminders of the tensions in the region.

The Jordan River is so narrow at this point that I felt like I could reach out and touch Israel. (You can see in this picture how close we are to the Israeli baptismal tourist facility on the other side.)

On the bus from the car park to the River we passed the site where Elijah ascended into heaven on a fiery chariot. (Mount Nebo, where Moses looked out onto the promised land, is also nearby.)

I later noticed (when I was looking at my pictures) that there is a website included on this mosaic:

 http://www.baptismsite.com/

On that website you can see short YouTube videos/tours of the areas that we visited. 

ACYPL Summit, Jordan: Jerash

We had some time between the last session of the conference and when our plane left late in the evening.  A few of us took advantage of every minute in Jordan, and planned excursion to Jerash, the Dead Sea, and the site of Jesus' baptism in the River Jordan.

Here are some photos of the ancient Roman ruins in Jerash. Truly spectacular.

According to the tour guide, this site "boasts an unbroken chain of human occupation dating back more than 6,500 years.  The city's golden age came under Roman rule and the site is now generally acknowledged to be on of the best preserved Roman provincial towns in the world. Hidden for centuries in sand before being excavated and restored over the past 70 years...."

There were amazing acoustics in the South Theater (which seats 3,000 and is still used today) as we listened to the bagpiper.

Pictured also is the young man making my Arabic coffee in the gift shop/snack bar.

ACYPL Summit, Jordan: Dead Sea

On the drive back to Amman, we stopped by to see the Dead Sea. There was no time to visit one of the spas or to take a swim (float), but I was able to climb down the hill and stand at the shore and dip my hand into the Dead Sea. Incredible.  

In this scene, we are looking towards Israel.

ACYPL Summit in Jordan: Petra excursion

On the third day of the ACYPL Alumni Summit, we went on an excursion to Petra.  This gave the delegates and opportunity to network and develop relationships outside of the formal sessions and to visit one of the most amazing wonders of the world.

Petra National Trust information:

 http://petranationaltrust.org/UI/ShowContent.aspx?ContentId=69

UNESCO World Heritage Site information:

 http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/326

 Our Guide wrapped my scarf like a Bedouin. I pulled the scarf under my chin for these photos, so you could see my face. But I have to say that the scarf, wrapped this way, helped keep me cool, and when the scarf was pulled over my nose and mouth, helped protect me from breathing in all the sand and dust.