Peace Picks, June 3rd to June 7th

1. Democracy Think Tanks in Action: Translating Research into Policy in Young and Emerging Democracies, National Endowment for Democracy, Monday, June 3 / 12:00am

Venue: National Endowment for Democracy
1025 F Street NW, Suite 800, Washington, D.C. 20004

Speakers: Sami Atallah, Orazio J. Belletini CedeÑO, Maksim Karliuk, Sally Roshdy

Think tanks in democratic societies play a vital role in generating policy research, promoting ideas, and fostering discussion between the public and policymakers. In young and emerging democracies, however, think tanks face a number of obstacles that make the achievement of reform especially challenging.

RSVP here:
http://ned.org/events/democracy-think-tanks-in-action-translating-research-into-policy-in-young-and-emerging-democr

2. YaLa Young Leaders: A Palestinian and Israeli Discuss the Future, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Monday, June 3 / 12:00pm – 1:00pm

Venue: Woodrow Wilson Center
1300 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 20004

Speakers: Ohood Murqaten, Nimrod Benze’Ev, Aaron David Miller

Facebook has revolutionized the world and the Middle East, too. Join us for a presentation by two representatives of YaLa Young Leaders, a Middle East Facebook organization bringing Arabs, Israelis, and Turks together in virtual and direct contact designed to breakdown old stereotypes and promote a new dialogue based on mutual respect and dignity.

Register for the event here:
http://www.wilsoncenter.org/event/yala-young-leaders-palestinian-and-israeli-discuss-the-future

3. The Role of Women and Islam in the New Tunisia, Freedom House, Monday, June 3 / 1:00pm – 2:30pm

Venue: Freedom House
1301 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20036

Speakers: Kedija Arfaoui

Prior to the Tunisian Revolution, Tunisia was regarded as one of the most progressive countries in the Arabic world for women’s rights. With a new constitution being drafted, how will the rising influence of political Islam affect the rights and roles of women in Tunisian society? Join Freedom House for a roundtable discussion on this vital topic with Tunisian activist and researcher Dr. Kedija Arfaoui.

Register for the event here:
http://www.freedomhouse.org/event/upcoming-event-role-women-and-islam-new-tunisia

4. The View from Israel: A Conversation with former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars , Tuesday, June 4 / 11:00am – 12:00pm

Venue: Woodrow Wilson Center
1300 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 20004

Speakers: Ehud Olmert

Rarely has there been a time where so many parts of the Middle East seem to be moving all at once. Civil war in Syria, the impact of the Arab Spring, the impasse in Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, and the Iranian nuclear issue all offer up challenges without quick or easy solutions. In this Director’s Forum, former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will share his views on these and other regional issues.

Register for the event here:
http://www.wilsoncenter.org/event/the-view-israel-conversation-former-israeli-prime-minister-ehud-olmert

5. Talking scandal: The latest on Benghazi, spying on the press, the IRS, and a bonus topic the end of the war on terror, American Enterprise Institute, Tuesday, June 4 / 1:15pm – 2:00pm

Venue: American Enterprise Institute
1150 17th Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20036

Speakers: Jonah Goldberg, Marc A. Thiessen, Danielle Pletka

In recent weeks, the White House has been under siege from all sides for its stewardship of the nation’s executive authority. The Obama administration has been accused of eavesdropping on journalists, of unfairly targeting conservative nonprofits, and of botching (and belatedly trying to cover up) national security crises. The president tried to change the subject by announcing the beginning of the end of the war on terror, but raised more questions than he answered, including: Does the 2012 Benghazi attack coverup have implications for Syria? Will we ever close Guantanamo? How will a lame-duck president keep America safe and restore his credibility? AEI scholars Danielle Pletka, Marc Thiessen, and Jonah Goldberg will discuss the scandals plaguing the White House and consider likely implications. We invite you to tune in to their Google Hangout conversation.

RSVP here:
http://www.aei.org/events/2013/06/04/talking-scandal-the-latest-on-benghazi-spying-on-the-press-the-irs-and-a-bonus-topic-the-end-of-the-war-on-terror/

6. The Role and Impact of Islamic Law in Transitioning Arab Spring Countries, Law Library of Congress, Tuesday, June 4 / 1:30pm – 3:00pm

Venue: James Madison Building, Library of Congress
101 Independence Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20540
Mumford Room

Speakers: Mary-Jane Deeb, Nathan J. Brown, Lama Abu-Odeh, Issam Saliba

The Law Library and the Library’s African and Middle Eastern Division will host a panel discussion on the role and impact of Islamic law in the developing constitutions and laws of transitioning countries in the Middle East/North Africa region.

The panel, led by moderator Mary-Jane Deeb, Chief of the African and Middle Eastern Division, will discuss the role of Shari’a law in the recent and ongoing constitutional drafting processes of Egypt, Tunisia and Libya. The discussion will also concentrate on the broader impact of Islamic law on the legal systems of Arab Spring states, looking particularly at personal status issues. Other points of discussion will include the compatibility of Shari’a law and human rights, and some of the challenges facing women and minorities in transitioning Arab Spring countries.

The distinguished panel will include Nathan J. Brown, Professor of Political Science and International Affairs at the Elliot School of International Affairs at the George Washington University; Lama Abu-Odeh, Professor of Law at Georgetown University Law Center; and Issam Saliba, Senior Foreign Legal Specialist at the Law Library of Congress.

7. Recent Developments in the Western Balkans, Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, Tuesday, June 4 / 2:30pm – 4:00pm

Venue: Johns Hopkins SAIS – Bernstein-Offit Building
1717 Massachusetts Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C.

Albin Kurti, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Assembly of Kosovo and president of the Vetëvendosje! opposition party; Shpend Ahmeti, member of the Assembly of Kosovo and vice president of the Vetëvendosje! opposition party; Daniel Serwer, senior research professor of conflict managment at SAIS and CTR senior fellow; Edward Joseph, CTR senior fellow; and Michael Haltzel (moderator), CTR senior fellow, will discuss this topic.

Register for the event here:
http://sais-jhu.edu/events/2013-06-04-143000-2013-06-04-160000/recent-developments-western-balkans

8. The Road to Growth: Afghanistan’s Economic Transition, National Defense University, Wednesday, June 5 / 8:00am – 1:00pm

Venue: National Defense University
300 5th Avenue, Bldg 62 Fort McNair, DC 20319-5066
Room 3205

Speakers: Omar Ghadry, Dr. Bill Byrd

Please join the Afghanistan-Pakistan Regional Expertise Training (AFPAK RET) Program’s next Economic Development Seminar: “The Road to Growth: Afghanistan’s Economic Transition” on Wednesday, June 5th, 2013. This will be a half-day seminar, from 8:00am to 1:00pm at the National Defense University.

Afghanstan continues to face the arduous task of aligning its future toward economic stability and, ultimately, self-sufficiency. At the same time, regional powers continue to exert political and economic pressure on Afghanistan’s policies and resources while the US-led coalition plans an expensive retrograde exit through the region’s Northern Distribution Network (NDN). The internatinal donor community has doubled down on its long-term support of Afghanistan, most recently giving commitments at conferences in Tokyo and Chicago, even in the midst of unyielding corruption at the highest levels of national and regional governance.

The conferences in Tokyo and Chicago, as well as those at Dushanbe, Delhi and many others, provided international actors opportunities to find consensus on Afghanistan’s post-2014 development. In conjunction, economic development and regional cooperation – encapsulated in the idea of a New Silk Road – has emerged as a crucial strategy for ensuring the long-term economic security of Afghanistan, a litmus test for discerning the true motivations of regional players and a scorecard on the multi-faceted U.S. intervention over a decade ago.

Please join AFPAK RET Instructor, Omar Ghadry, and Dr. William Byrd, Senior Afghan Expert at the United States Institute for Peace (USIP), as they seek to educate participants on the dynamics of Afghanistan’s 2014 transition. AFPAK RET Seminars are tailored for advanced audiences with foundational training and experience in the AFPAK region, and will be delivered at the unclassified level.

RSVP to
janet.t.dawson@saic.com

9. A Crisis Mismanaged: Obama’s Failed Syria Policy, U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Wednesday, June 5 / 10:00am

Venue: Rayburn House Office Building
45 Independence Ave SW, Washington, DC
2172 House Rayburn Office Building

Speakers: Tony Badran, Danielle Pletka

Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa
Witnesses:
Mr. Tony Badran, Research Fellow
Foundation for Defense of Democracies

Ms. Danielle Pletka, Vice President
Foreign and Defense Policy Studies
American Enterprise Institute

More information here:
http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/hearing/subcommittee-hearing-crisis-mismanaged-obama%E2%80%99s-failed-syria-policy

10. Turkey’s Asylum Policy, SETA Foundation at Washington DC, Wednesday, June 5 / 12:00pm – 1:30pm

Venue: SETA Foundation at Washington, D.C.
1025 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 1106, Washington, DC 20036

Speakers: Cigdem Benam, Kadir Ustun

Turkey has experienced various population movements in history. It has been a country of immigration and emigration and a host country for asylum seekers as well. This history has left its mark on Turkey’s settlement, citizenship, migration and asylum policies. Two most recent waves of refugees happened in the wake of Saddam Hussein’s repression of the Kurdish rebellion in 1988, the 1991 Gulf War, and the Syrian conflict. Turkey received massive migration flows especially in 1988 and 1991. Turkey’s efforts to cope with this pressure created the groundwork for asylum legislation and the EU negotiation process has also shaped the legal infrastructure and practice. Today, Turkey’s asylum policy is being challenged once again by the migratory flows from Syria.

Please join us for a discussion on the evolution of Turkey’s asylum policy with Cigdem H. Benam, Visiting Researcher at Boston University.

Register for the event here:
http://www.setadc.org/young-scholars-on-turkey/ysot-events/476-turkeys-asylum-policy-by-cigdem-h-benam-june-5-2013

11. The Consequences of the Ongoing Arab Political Turmoil on the Arab-Israeli Struggle, Al-Hewar Center, Wednesday, June 5 / 7:00pm

Venue: Vienna Community Center
120 Cherry Street, S.E., Vienna, VA

Open discussion about “The Consequences of the Ongoing Arab Political Turmoil on the Arab-Israeli Struggle”
(in Arabic)

More information here:
http://www.alhewar.com/newevents.html

12. China and the Middle East, U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, Thursday, June 6 / 9:00am – 2:00pm

Venue: Dirksen Senate Office Building
Constitution Avenue and 1st Street, NE, Washington, DC
Room 608

Speakers: Dawn Murphy, Yitzhak Shichor, Erica Downs, Bryant Edwards, Jon B. Alterman, Joel Wuthnow, Andrew Erickson

The hearing will examine China’s policies and perspectives related to the Middle East, including on energy security, trade and investment, regional conflicts, and instability in countries like Syria and Iran.  In addition, this hearing will assess how China’s Middle East policies impact U.S. interests in the region and beyond.

More information here:
http://www.uscc.gov/hearings_2013

12. The Changing Dynamics of the Syria Crisis, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Thursday, June 6 / 9:00am – 11:00am

Venue: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
1779 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. 20036

Speakers: Rafaël LeFèvre, Paul Salem, Yezid Sayigh, Dmitri Trenin

The Syrian conflict entered its third year with the direct engagement of Hezbollah in the fight for Qusair, Israeli missile strikes near Damascus, and bombings in Reyhanli, Turkey. Meanwhile, marathon talks among members of the main Syrian opposition group have failed to produce a consensus on rebel participation in the U.S.-Russia proposed Geneva peace conference.

Rafaël LeFèvre, Paul Salem, Yezid Sayigh, and Dmitri Trenin will discuss the changing dynamics of the Syrian crisis in a special event that connects speakers and audiences via video from Beirut, Moscow, and Washington.

Register for the event here:
http://carnegieendowment.org/2013/06/06/changing-dynamics-of-syria-crisis/g7kr

13. How Energy & China are Reshaping the Geopolitics of the Middle East, NDN and the New Policy Initiative, Thursday, June 6 / 12:00pm – 1:30pm

Venue: NDN Event Space
729 15th St. NW, Washington DC

Speakers: Dr. Gawdat Bahgat, I-wei Jennifer Chang, Bradley Bosserman

Join NDN’s MENA Initiative for an exploration of how the growth of China is converging with changing global energy markets to remake the geopolitics of the Middle East.

This lucheon discussion will feature two leading experts on the implications of greater Chinese involvement in the region and how the U.S. can craft effective Middle East policy in light of this changing reality.

Dr. Gawdat Bahgat is a professor at the National Defense University where he specializes in Middle East policy, strategy, and  energy security.

I-wei Jennifer Chang joins us from the University of Maryland where her research focuses on tension between Chinese economic interests and U.S. policies in the Middle East.

Register for the event here:
http://menaprogram.org/2013/05/23/save-the-date-june-6th-the-changing-geo-politics-of-the-middle-east/

14. After the 2014 Withdrawal: How to Sustain the Decade of Gains for Women in Afghanistan, US Institute of Peace, Thursday, June 6 / 2:00pm – 4:15pm

Venue: US Institute of Peace
2301 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, D.C.

The United States Institute of Peace and the Heritage Foundation will co-host Congresswomen Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Donna Edwards (D-MD), Co-chairs of the Afghan Women’s Caucus, to speak about the gains Afghan women have made over the last decade and the challenges they face as U.S. and NATO forces withdraw. Following the Congresswomen’s remarks, an expert panel will discuss the issue in its security context as well as the challenges of the NGO community in carrying on its work in the health, education, and political sectors.

This event marks the first in a series on the issue of Afghan women that will be co-hosted by The Heritage Foundation and USIP in coming months. We hope you can join us for this first exciting and timely event on Thursday June 6, 2013 from 2:00pm until 4:15pm at the Heritage Foundation.

More information here:
http://www.usip.org/events/after-the-2014-withdrawal-how-sustain-the-decade-gains-women-in-afghanistan

15. Getting it Wrong: American Misperceptions of the Middle East, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Thursday, June 6 / 4:00pm – 5:00pm

Venue: Woodrow Wilson Center
1300 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 20004

Speakers: Dan Schueftan, Aaron David Miller

The Middle East is a very confusing region. However well-intentioned, does the United States add to that confusion by injecting its own flawed assumptions and illusions into the mix? Join us for a discussion with seasoned Middle East experts.
Register for the event here:
http://www.wilsoncenter.org/event/getting-it-wrong-american-misperceptions-the-middle-east

16. Iranian Elections: Change through the ballot box?, Foundation for Defense of Democracies, Friday, June 7 / 9:15am – 10:45am

Venue:
Cannon House Office Building
[200-299] New Jersey Ave SE, Washington D.C.
122

Speakers: Reuel Marc Gerecht, John Limbert, Golnaz Esfandiari, and Ray Takeyh.

When the Iranian people go to the polls on June 14, eight names will appear on the ballot. What are the implications of this election on the U.S-Iranian relationship? When the next Iranian president takes office, can we expect him to change the course of its nuclear program and avoid a confrontation with the West? Will there be any shift toward greater freedoms for the Iranian people or will we see greater restrictions? Will the next president even matter, so long as the Supreme Leader is calling the shots?

Register for the event here:
http://defenddemocracy.org/events/change-through-the-ballot-box/

16. Crisis Syria: Going Where?, National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations, Friday, June 7 / 10:00am – 12:00pm

Venue: Rayburn House Office Building
45 Independence Ave SW, Washington, DC
B-369

Speakers: Mona Yacoubian, David Des Roches, Sharon Waxman, Paul Sullivan, John Duke Anthony

On June 7, 2013, the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations and the U.S.-GCC Corporate Cooperation Committee are hosting a public affairs briefing “Crisis Syria: Going Where?” featuring Ms. Mona Yacoubian, Senior Advisor, Middle East and Project Director, Pathways to Progress, Stimson Center; Professor David Des Roches, Senior Military Fellow, Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies, National Defense University; Ms. Sharon Waxman, Vice President, Public Policy and Advocacy, International Rescue Committee; and Professor Paul Sullivan, Professor of Economics, National Defense University and Adjunct Professor, Georgetown University. Dr. John Duke Anthony, Founding President & CEO, National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations, will serve as moderator.

Register for the event here:

17. Film Lecture with Terri Ginsberg, Jerusalem Fund & Palestine Center, Friday, June 7 / 6:30pm – 7:30pm

Venue: The Jerusalem Fund
2425 Virginia Ave, NW Washington, DC 20037

Speakers: Terri Ginsberg

“Occupied Palestine theorizes Palestinian time in order to convey the urgency of resistance and revolution; whatever time it takes, from its subjects as well as from its audience, is recast for re-deployment, at the moment of its reception, by the very people whose own time – and everything it carries – has been expropriated in the name of Zionism.  The film’s editing carefully implements this quite radical taking of time, this effectuation of contemporaneity which depends for its revolutionary recognition and capture on a cinematic representation and reconfiguration of the theoretical concept of labor (time).  In other words, Occupied Palestine’s veritable uncanniness is enabled by a structure, the sense of which temporality is informed by the idea that modern Palestinian time is occupied labor, human life and work transformed into commodity-value by and within a social system of exploitative relations and practices – of appropriating and co-opting Palestinian lives and practices by literally stealing time from them – for the sake of Zionist domination and its potentially profitable expansion.  Simply no other documentary about the Palestinian–Israeli conflict makes this particular point, that is, that our understanding of the Zionist settlement and occupation of Palestine, and of Palestinian resistance to that, is impoverished unless it includes for consideration the (specific but not entirely unique) relationship between the development and implementation of Zionism and the conditions of Palestinian underdevelopment within the modern capitalist epoch.” – Terri Ginsberg, Ph.D.

Register for the event here:
http://www.thejerusalemfund.org/ht/d/EventDetails/i/38202