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.