Walaa Hawari | Arab News
RIYADH: More than 500 Saudi businesswomen and investors are attending four training workshops here today and tomorrow.
Consultants in international trade and international law will conduct them at the 4th Saudi Businesswomen Forum entitled “Active Direction in the Business Environment to Face Economic Changes.”
The workshops have been organized by the women’s branch of the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry and will include outlining procedures for cooperation with international companies as promising investing opportunities for Saudi women. “The forum aims at enhancing the qualifications of the Saudi businesswomen and investors in the face of the rapid changes the Saudi economy is undergoing through activating the powerful economic elements in the Kingdom and achieving development and economic ambitions on the long run,” said Huda Al-Juraisi, director of the organizing committee of the forum. Legal trainers will introduce international trade law, issues pertaining to contracts, content of trade contracts and means to solve disputes in international trade contracts.
According to Al-Juraisi, the forum is considered one of the biggest women’s economic, educational and cultural gatherings in the Kingdom.
“This year’s generous gesture by the businesswomen of sponsoring 150 students to attend the workshops and benefit from the presentations and experiences of the businesswomen free of charge, reflects the understanding of social responsibility which is part of the forum’s mission to support those interested in entering the business and investment world,” said Al-Juraisi.
Areej Bint Homoud Al-Ibraheem, owner of Nawart Najd PR Company — one of the sponsors — praised the Chamber’s efforts to involve businesswomen in economic progress.
Yet as a response to whether the forum is an opportunity for the businesswomen to put forward their demands, Al-Ibraheem says this forum is more of an educational experience.
“The forum is an occasion to present new visions and educate businesswomen about the recent economic status and inform them of the proper ways and means to face them,” explained Al-Ibraheem indicating that there are other events and conferences concerned with coming up with proposals and recommendations and forwarding them to officials.
Amal Zahed, owner of Secas Trading, said the forum offered a chance to sound the voice of Saudi businesswomen. “Such meetings reflect on the demands and needs of businesswomen, and the observation is passed on to the decision-makers to review,” says Zahed. “We should try and make ourselves heard through forums and meetings.”
Showing posts with label workshop. Show all posts
Showing posts with label workshop. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Morocco: In Morccco, breaking down barriers in the Arab world
boston.com Passport
By Fatema Haji-Taki
May 5, 2009
IFRANE, Morocco -- For the past five days, a group of Moroccan students and young-adult activists from Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Jordan, Egypt, Kuwait, Lebanon, Tunisia and Algeria have been working intensely together in workshops building bridges among themselves and improving skills for creating interfaith community programs in their own countries.
From working to ease interfaith tensions in Egypt and Yemen to advancing women’s rights in Saudi Arabia, these activists are dedicated to sharing their expertise and acquiring new skills on how to effectively plan events, launch campaigns, and secure funding for their field work to promote religious and political freedom in their countries. The workshops emphasize how to translate their online activism to real-world organizing and leadership skills that participants can put to work in practical ways in their home communities.
Ironically, some participants were unable to attend because their visa applications were not approved in time, or, in the case of a prominent Baha’i activist from Egypt, it became too dangerous for her to travel. The empty seats were a stark reminder of the lack of religious and political freedom in most Arab countries.
Jesse Sage, Nasser Weddady and Lauren Murphy from Hands Across the Middle East Support Alliance, a Boston-based nonprofit, and I organized and are facilitating the conference, “Interfaith Leadership Seminar: From the Virtual to the Real World,” at Al Akhawayn University, an English-language college in Ifrane.
Jewish in the Arab world
During the conference the participants met Moroccan Raphael Elmaleh, believed to be the only Jewish tour guide in the Arab world. He is also a founder of the only Jewish museum in the Arab world in Casablanca. Elmaleh’s passion in life is to research the Jewish heritage of Morocco and restore the synagogues and other sites that were left behind by the Jews more than 40 years ago.
“I’m proud to be a Jew in an Arab country,” he says. On Sunday, all the participants had a chance to visit Fez while he showed us the old Jewish Quarter and the cemeteries and the synagogues left behind. For many, this was the first time they had been exposed to the Jewish heritage in an Arab country. By the end of the day, the bond that he created with the rest of the group was heartening.
At first, he acknowledged he was nervous talking about his work to a group of Arab young people from across the Middle East whom he had never met before. But working with the group for two days has changed his mind and he is excited to talk about how Jews and Muslims coexisted peacefully in Morocco and what that means for the future. During dinner yesterday, all of the participants gave him a standing ovation for his dedication while the Moroccan students sang the national anthem. The expression on Elmaleh’s face was invaluable.
Freedom of the press in Yemen
Unfortunately, on Monday, we also learned that an independent newspaper run by one of the Yemeni participants, Abdullah Abdulwahab Naji Qaid, was shut down by Yemeni authorities. Abdullah is a founding member and the General Activity Supervisor of the al-Tagheer Organization for Rights and Freedom Defense, an NGO based in Yemen. He has previously participated in seminars on religious freedom which addressed discrimination against Yemen's Zaidi community.
(Fatema Haji-Taki/UUSC photo)
Yemeni journalist Abdullah Abdulwahab Naji Qaid
When the news broke, the mood among all of us turned solemn. It was a grave reminder of the difficult circumstances these activists work in and the challenges ahead of them after they return home. As the night wore on, the solidarity between all of us for Qaid’s work was palpable. Many are working to organize a campaign for him while others are planning to spread the word through Facebook, their blogs and other online networks.
As a non-Arab Muslim-American human rights activist, I am humbled by the work of my peers. Through the last few days, I’ve seen them work together, debate their differences, sing and dance together. They have created a support network for each other. They are all invested in each others’ success because they all are committed to religious and political freedom in the Arab world.
What they have experienced together as a team will stay with them for the rest of their lives. As they go back, they will face obstacles and there will be times when they will want to give up. My only hope is they will remember the solidarity they experienced this past week and keep soldiering on because they are the future leaders of the Arab world.
By Fatema Haji-Taki
May 5, 2009
IFRANE, Morocco -- For the past five days, a group of Moroccan students and young-adult activists from Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Jordan, Egypt, Kuwait, Lebanon, Tunisia and Algeria have been working intensely together in workshops building bridges among themselves and improving skills for creating interfaith community programs in their own countries.
From working to ease interfaith tensions in Egypt and Yemen to advancing women’s rights in Saudi Arabia, these activists are dedicated to sharing their expertise and acquiring new skills on how to effectively plan events, launch campaigns, and secure funding for their field work to promote religious and political freedom in their countries. The workshops emphasize how to translate their online activism to real-world organizing and leadership skills that participants can put to work in practical ways in their home communities.
Ironically, some participants were unable to attend because their visa applications were not approved in time, or, in the case of a prominent Baha’i activist from Egypt, it became too dangerous for her to travel. The empty seats were a stark reminder of the lack of religious and political freedom in most Arab countries.
Jesse Sage, Nasser Weddady and Lauren Murphy from Hands Across the Middle East Support Alliance, a Boston-based nonprofit, and I organized and are facilitating the conference, “Interfaith Leadership Seminar: From the Virtual to the Real World,” at Al Akhawayn University, an English-language college in Ifrane.
Jewish in the Arab world
During the conference the participants met Moroccan Raphael Elmaleh, believed to be the only Jewish tour guide in the Arab world. He is also a founder of the only Jewish museum in the Arab world in Casablanca. Elmaleh’s passion in life is to research the Jewish heritage of Morocco and restore the synagogues and other sites that were left behind by the Jews more than 40 years ago.
“I’m proud to be a Jew in an Arab country,” he says. On Sunday, all the participants had a chance to visit Fez while he showed us the old Jewish Quarter and the cemeteries and the synagogues left behind. For many, this was the first time they had been exposed to the Jewish heritage in an Arab country. By the end of the day, the bond that he created with the rest of the group was heartening.
At first, he acknowledged he was nervous talking about his work to a group of Arab young people from across the Middle East whom he had never met before. But working with the group for two days has changed his mind and he is excited to talk about how Jews and Muslims coexisted peacefully in Morocco and what that means for the future. During dinner yesterday, all of the participants gave him a standing ovation for his dedication while the Moroccan students sang the national anthem. The expression on Elmaleh’s face was invaluable.
Freedom of the press in Yemen
Unfortunately, on Monday, we also learned that an independent newspaper run by one of the Yemeni participants, Abdullah Abdulwahab Naji Qaid, was shut down by Yemeni authorities. Abdullah is a founding member and the General Activity Supervisor of the al-Tagheer Organization for Rights and Freedom Defense, an NGO based in Yemen. He has previously participated in seminars on religious freedom which addressed discrimination against Yemen's Zaidi community.
(Fatema Haji-Taki/UUSC photo)
Yemeni journalist Abdullah Abdulwahab Naji Qaid
When the news broke, the mood among all of us turned solemn. It was a grave reminder of the difficult circumstances these activists work in and the challenges ahead of them after they return home. As the night wore on, the solidarity between all of us for Qaid’s work was palpable. Many are working to organize a campaign for him while others are planning to spread the word through Facebook, their blogs and other online networks.
As a non-Arab Muslim-American human rights activist, I am humbled by the work of my peers. Through the last few days, I’ve seen them work together, debate their differences, sing and dance together. They have created a support network for each other. They are all invested in each others’ success because they all are committed to religious and political freedom in the Arab world.
What they have experienced together as a team will stay with them for the rest of their lives. As they go back, they will face obstacles and there will be times when they will want to give up. My only hope is they will remember the solidarity they experienced this past week and keep soldiering on because they are the future leaders of the Arab world.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Qatar: Workshop on human rights begins
Source ::: The PENINSULA /BY MOHAMED SAEED
DOHA: A workshop that highlights the basic facts about the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) at the UN Human Rights Council began yesterday at the Four Seasons Doha.
The three-day event has been organised by the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) and is being attended by more than 20 legal researchers representing ministries, the General Secretariat of the Cabinet, Qatar Foundation for Combating Human Trafficking and Qatar Foundation for Protecting Women and Child.
The key speakers in the workshop are Mohamed Jadallah, legal advisor at NHRC, Dr Ibrahim Badawi, legal advisor to the Bahraini Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ahmad Fuad, legal expert at NHRC.
Jadallah explained that the Human Rights Council was an inter-governmental body within the UN system with members from 47 states responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe. The council was created by the UN General Assembly on March 15, 2006 with the main purpose of addressing incidents of human rights violations and making recommendations on them.
The UPR is a unique process which involves a review of the human rights record of all 192 UN member states once every four years. The UPR is a state-driven process, under the auspices of the Human Rights Council, which provides the opportunity for each state to declare what action it has taken to improve the human rights situation in its territory and to fulfill its human rights obligations. As one of the main features of the council, the UPR is designed to ensure equal treatment for every country when its human rights situation is assessed.
On September 21, 2007, the Human Rights Council adopted a calendar detailing the order in which the 192 UN member states will be considered during the first four-year cycle of the UPR (2008-2011).
Qatar’s human rights record is scheduled to be reviewed in 2010.
The workshop will shed light on the procedures followed in compiling a national human rights report, the agencies that participate in monitoring the rights record and the review process during the UPR. The reviews are based on information provided by the state under review, which can take the form of a ‘national report’, information contained in the reports of independent human rights groups and information from other stakeholders, including non-governmental organisations and national human rights institutions.
DOHA: A workshop that highlights the basic facts about the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) at the UN Human Rights Council began yesterday at the Four Seasons Doha.
The three-day event has been organised by the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) and is being attended by more than 20 legal researchers representing ministries, the General Secretariat of the Cabinet, Qatar Foundation for Combating Human Trafficking and Qatar Foundation for Protecting Women and Child.
The key speakers in the workshop are Mohamed Jadallah, legal advisor at NHRC, Dr Ibrahim Badawi, legal advisor to the Bahraini Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ahmad Fuad, legal expert at NHRC.
Jadallah explained that the Human Rights Council was an inter-governmental body within the UN system with members from 47 states responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe. The council was created by the UN General Assembly on March 15, 2006 with the main purpose of addressing incidents of human rights violations and making recommendations on them.
The UPR is a unique process which involves a review of the human rights record of all 192 UN member states once every four years. The UPR is a state-driven process, under the auspices of the Human Rights Council, which provides the opportunity for each state to declare what action it has taken to improve the human rights situation in its territory and to fulfill its human rights obligations. As one of the main features of the council, the UPR is designed to ensure equal treatment for every country when its human rights situation is assessed.
On September 21, 2007, the Human Rights Council adopted a calendar detailing the order in which the 192 UN member states will be considered during the first four-year cycle of the UPR (2008-2011).
Qatar’s human rights record is scheduled to be reviewed in 2010.
The workshop will shed light on the procedures followed in compiling a national human rights report, the agencies that participate in monitoring the rights record and the review process during the UPR. The reviews are based on information provided by the state under review, which can take the form of a ‘national report’, information contained in the reports of independent human rights groups and information from other stakeholders, including non-governmental organisations and national human rights institutions.
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