MEPI in the News

Breast Cancer Network Thrives in U.S.-Middle East Partnership
Advocates in Middle East, North Africa share ideas, information online

November16, 2009            www.america.gov           By Louise Fenner

" In the summer of 2009, an organization of medical students in Egypt wanted to find an oncology expert to provide training in breast and testicular cancer screening. The answer came through a thriving new social network that has brought together more than 250 medical professionals, breast cancer survivors and community activists in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)". (Click here to read more)

State Dept funds social networking for real grassroots democracy

October12, 2009       www.cnewmark.com   

"The State Department is increasingly serious about spreading democracy throughout the world, and has announced a program for the mideast that uses social media for grassroots democracy."

State Department Awards Social Networking Grants

October 12, 2009   www.informationweek.com   By Mitch Wagner   

"The State Department plans to award up to $5 million in grants to expand the use of social networking in the Middle East and North Africa to drive citizen engagement and civic participation. The program, announced Sept. 25 and sponsored by the State Department's Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI), will award grants of $500,000 to $2.5 million to five organizations. MEPI provides support to the Middle East and North Africa for women's empowerment, educational advancement, economic development, and political participation."

State to award social networking grants in Middle East, Africa

October 10, 2009        www.nextgov.com       By Gautham Nagesh

"The solicitation references President Obama's speech he delivered in Cairo, Egypt, on June 4, in which he called for broader engagement between the United States and Muslim countries. State said in the solicitation that it is seeking pilot proposals "that will leverage innovative new technologies to connect people -- particularly youth -- in order to expand civic participation, increase new media capabilities for civil society, and enhance online educational opportunities in the Middle East and North Africa."

One woman's struggle to Achieve Independence

September 4, 2009     www.dailystar.com.lb         By Nayla Baraki

"She was an active participant in the Women in Technology [WIT] project, financed by the US State Department’s Middle East Partnership Initiative.“Ignoring technology is ignorance,” she said. “Since my cause is to improve women’s financial status, I had to search for ways in which I could achieve this, and the WIT program was the most suitable option.“After learning and becoming familiar with this new technology, I felt like the whole world was in my hands.”  (Read more)

MEPI Celebrates its Fifth Anniversary

August 19, 2009        http://www.katib.org      By Adnan Hassnaoui

“On the occasion of its Fifth Anniversary, MEPI Regional Office in Tunis held a reception to celebrate its Fifth Anniversary. The reception took place in a restaurant in downtown Tunis which brought together Americans and Tunisians. The reception was marked by very interesting conversations between representatives of the MEPI RO in Tunis, U.S. Embassy employees and officials and Tunisians on ways to build and work together for the good of human kind in this part of the world.”

Middle East students study how San Antonians bridge differences

August 14, 2009            Today's Catholic

"Students from the Middle East, including Tunisia, Morocco, Lebanon, Syria, Israel,Palestine, Iraq, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, visited San Antonio in July as part of the U.S. Department of State’s Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) to learn how San Antonio has managed its cultural and religious
diversity."

Building Youth Capacity in Democracy and Citizenship"

JULY 23, 2009            www.maannews.net

The Obaydiyeh Youth Club held the closing ceremony of the “Building Youth Capacity in Democracy & Citizenship” project. During the ceremony the directors of the Obaydiyeh Club and the project acknowledged MEPI’s contribution and support to the activities of the project. Through a series of training workshop, and a wide range of activities, the project aimed to strengthen youth’s role in their local communities in support of the democratic and human rights development and increasing awareness about democratic reform and freedoms

Middle East volunteers work in UD's community garden

July 14, 2009        http://www.udel.edu/udaily/2010/jul/garden071409.html

“I wanted to come to the United States and learn about leadership, which I think will help me in my career,” said Sabt, who is participating in a program at the University this summer that is supported by the Middle East Partnership Initiative. “But I also wanted to learn about the lifestyle in the United States and meet Americans. We've had the chance to talk to students here and discuss what they think about the Middle East."

Young Women Leader in Pennsylvania Law School

June 22, 2009         www.globenewswire.com

" The University of Pennsylvania Law School and the Wharton School have attracted a group of 22 young women leaders in business and law from over 10 countries in the Middle East for a Legal and Business Fellowship Program. Now in its third year, the Penn Law and Wharton Executive Education program is offered in partnership with the America-Mideast Educational and Training Services, Inc. (AMIDEAST) and funded by the U.S. Department of State Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI). The young executives and lawyers came to Penn from countries that included Algeria, Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen, and the West Bank."

Maghreb Women's Program: "Leaders of Tomorrow"

June 10, 2009        www.moroccoboard.com     Morocco

"MEPI is funding a new program with the National Democratic Institute, called "Leaders of Tomorrow," which is focused on developing young women civic activists in the Maghreb region". 

Corporate Ambassadors Program in Tunisia

May 5, 2009     www.webmanagercenter.com      Tunisia

The National Chamber of Women Entrepreneurs (CNFCE) hosted the corporate Ambassadors Program, as part of its membership in the Middle East North Africa BusinessWomen's Network (MENA BWN), in partnership with MEPI and Vital Voices. The U.S. Ambassador in Tunis, Mr. Robert F. Godec spoke at the seminar highlighting the role played by the American women entrepreneurs in promoting economic and social development.

Business Women Forum-Palestinian Territories

May 5, 2009        WAFA: www.wafa.ps       Palestinian Territories

"Palestinian Authority Minister of Women's Social Affairs Kholud Daibis opened, on May 5, a joint U.S.-Palestinian event organized by the Business Women Forum- Palestine with support from the U.S. government's Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI).
Daibis applauded the leadership of businesswomen and thanked the U.S. government for its support to these important figures in the Palestinian economy".

Women in Law Program

May 2, 2009       www.tradearabia.com      MENA Region

"The Cisco Entrepreneurship Institute (CEI) at the Queen Rania Centre for Entrepreneurship (QRCE) recently conducted the region’s first training workshop in business for female lawyers from Lebanon, Kuwait and Palestine, taking part in the Women in Law Program (WILpower).
WILpower, an extension of the Academy for Educational Department (AED), is supported by MEPI and aims at addressing the challenges faced by regional female lawyers and law students face by providing them with appropriate training and networking support as well as developing communication technology solutions."

Middle East Partnership Initiative Builds Bridges between Arab World, U.S.

April 9, 2009      www.udel.ed     Lebanon

The University of Delaware (UD) hosted The Summer Institute on American Studies and Leadership sponsored through the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) and the U.S. Department of State. 20 undergraduates from 15 Arab countries participated in the program at UD in 2004. Sara Chehab, a native of Lebanon, stated that “The MEPI program is a life-changing." (full article)

Column: Wausau's Reach Extends Across Globe

April 6, 2009       www.wausaudailyherald.com        Beirut, Lebanon

"Later this week, a delegation of four students from a high school in Beirut, Lebanon, are scheduled to touch down at Central Wisconsin Airport, beginning a weeklong stay.
They'll bunk with host families, visit the Capitol in Madison, tour a Lincoln County dairy farm, and attend classes at Wausau East High School, among other activities. They'll leave Wausau with a slew of happy memories and a deepened appreciation of American culture and values -- citizen-ambassadors able to explain us to the people of the Middle East." (full article).

The "Not To Forget Soceity"

April 6, 2009         www.wafa.ps (Palestinian Territories)

The "Not to Forget Society" had its closing ceremony for the MEPI-funded Feminist Lobbies Project yesterday April 6. The project worked with 60 women from the Jenin area, providing them with training on civic engagement and working with them to promote feminist issues using the local media and lobbying local governing bodies.

Training for Women Candiates for Local Elections in Morocco

April 6, 2009         www.lematin.ma (Morocco)

A first training session for women candidates for the 12 of June local elections in Morocco was organized on April 4 and 5 in Essaouira, Morocco. The Training is a MEPI-funded project in partnership with the International Republican Institute (IRI) and the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI). The program consists of 40 sessions of trainings that aims to provide women candidates with campaign methods, funding techniques and communication skills to better target their outreach efforts and serve as strong representatives for their communities.

US 'Committed' to Flexible Approach to Aid Programs

March 31, 2009      www.dailystar.com.lb      Lebanon

"MEPI has had a strong presence in Lebanon, with 15 to 20 projects in the country. The regional partnership initiative provides assistance to a collection of projects including efforts to empower young and professional women, expand English-language and Lebanese-US exchange programs and facilitate discussions on civic responsibility and citizenship." (full article)

Errabita

March 23, 2009          El Watan (Algeria)

Algerian League for the Defense of Human Rights has published its first newsletter entitled "Errabita" which focuses on human rights issues in Algeria. In the newsletter's editorial, Mr Mustapha Bouchachi explained that "this newsletter is a space for discussion, and expression in an environment where liberties are in a state of perpetual regression."

The US Can Promote Democracy, Smartly

March 23, 2009           www.dailystar.com.lb (Lebanon)

RO Abu Dhabi former program specialist Dima Toukan wrote an article on MEPI published in the online Beirut-based Daily Star.

"The Obama administration has in fact inherited several foreign assistance programs to support democratic reform in the region, including the US Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) with its various pillars and programs. MEPI's small, local grants component, administered by the two regional offices in Abu Dhabi and Tunis (with limited oversight from Washington), has been a success. As opposed to the larger grants channeled to American NGOs in the region, small grants projects are led by local organizations directly funded to implement micro-projects based on ideas fleshed out cooperatively between applicants and the regional offices to meet both applicants' and MEPI's priority areas in each country."

"Stop Violence Against Women"

March 14, 2009          www.continentalnews.fr (Algeria)

At the occasion of the international day of women on March 8, the MEPI Alumni Network Chapter in Algeria, in partnership with local NGO FRAD (Algerian Women Claiming their Rights), organized two full days campaign in Oran , Algeria on March 11 and 12, to stop violence against women. The activity took place in three different universities in Oran, where the volunteers set up tables in the main yards of the universities in order to reach a larger number of students.