Peace Picks, January 27-31

1. War Crimes, Youth Activism & Memory in the Balkans

Monday, January 27 | 12pm – 1pm

Woodrow Wilson Center 6^th floor, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW

REGISTER TO ATTEND

Past post-conflict justice processes in the Balkan region were comprised of a variety of protagonists, such as governments, international institutions, and civil society. Mechanisms to cope with mass atrocities committed during the conflict in the 1990s included international trials in The Hague, domestic trials in many of the former states of Yugoslavia, and several truth commission attempts. In recent years there has also been a rise in youth activism to confront war crimes. However, literature in transitional justice that addresses this phenomenon remains underdeveloped. This research draws on over two-dozen in-depth interviews with youth activist leaders across the former Yugoslavia focusing on their performance-based campaigns. Additional data was collected from online prosopographic analysis—which consists of studying common characteristics of these activists by means of a collective study of their lives and careers. In his findings, the author explains why the emergence of transitional justice youth activism in the Balkans falls short of the significant institutional reforms of earlier youth movement mobilizations in the regions. He also throws light on why their performance activism is distinct from practices of older, established human rights organizations in the region. Notwithstanding, he argues that this performance-based advocacy work has fueled the creation of a new spatiality of deliberation—so called strategic confrontation spaces—to contest the culture of impunity and challenge the politics of memory in the former Yugoslavia.

SPEAKERS
Arnaud Kurze: Visiting Scholar; Center for Global Studies, George Mason University

John R. Lampe: Senior Scholar Professor Emeritus; Department of History, University of Maryland – College Park

2. Conflict in Syria: Geneva II and the Road Ahead 

Monday, January 27 | 12:30 pm

Washington Institute for Near East Policy, 1828 L St NW #1050

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As the international community prepares to meet on the Syria crisis in Montreax and Geneva on January 22 and 24, many questions remain regarding what can be agreed on at the negotiating table — and to an even greater extent, what can be implemented on the ground.

To discuss the outcome of the scheduled talks and the road ahead, The Washington Institute is pleased to host a Policy Forum featuring the varied perspectives of three Washington Institute experts on Syria: Andrew J. Tabler, Jeffrey White, and Aaron Y. Zelin. Tabler will focus on the regime and the opposition, White on the military situation, and Zelin on Salafi dynamics. Ambassador James F. Jeffrey will introduce the speakers and offer commentary.

SPEAKERS
Andrew J. Tabler is senior fellow in the Program on Arab Politics at the Washington Institute and author of In the Lion’s Den: An Eyewitness Account of Washington’s Battle with Syria.

Jeffrey White is a defense fellow at the The Washington Institute and widely sought out as a commentator on military issues involving Syria, Israel, Hezbollah, the Gaza conflict, and Iran.

Aaron Y. Zelin is the Richard Borow fellow at The Washington Institute, where his research focuses on how jihadist groups are adjusting to the new political environment in the era of Arab uprisings and Salafi politics in countries transitioning to democracy.

Watch the live broadcast here beginning at approximately 12:30 p.m. on January 27, 2014.

3. The United States, Its Middle East Allies and Iran: What is the Way Forward?

Tuesday, January 28 | 9:30am – 12pm

Rayburn House Office Building, Gold Room (2168); 45 Independence Ave SW

RSVP Acceptances only: (202) 296-6767 or info@mepc.org

The Middle East Policy Council invites you and your colleagues to our 75^th Capitol Hill Conference. This event will address Iran’s nuclear program and its policies in the region, the concerns of the Gulf States and how an agreement would affect the balance of power in the region.

Live streaming of this event will begin at approximately 9:30am EST on Tuesday, January 28^th and conclude at noon. A questions and answers session will be held at the end of the proceedings. Refreshments will be served.

SPEAKERS
David Albright: Founder & President, Institute for Science and International Security

Frederic C. Hof: Former Ambassador and Special Adviser to the Secretary of State for Transition in Syria; Senior Fellow at the Rafik Hariri Center, Atlantic Council

Richard LeBaron: Former U.S. Ambassador to Kuwait; Senior Fellow at the Rafik Hariri Center, Atlantic Council

Anthony H. Cordesman: Arleigh A. Burke Chair in Strategy, Center for Strategic & International Studies

Moderator
Ford M. Frank: President, Middle East Policy Council; Former U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia

Discussant
Thomas R. Mattair: Executive Director, Middle East Policy Council

4. Sochi Olympics, Human Rights, and the US-Russian Relations 

Tuesday, January 28 | 10am – 1pm

The Heritage Foundation, Lehrman Auditorium; 214 Massachusetts Ave NE

REGISTER TO ATTEND

The Sochi Olympics will place Russia on top of the news. This is a good time to examine the country’s intractable internal problems and the Obama Administration’s handling of US-Russian relations; examine Russia’s human rights track record; and highlight the questions of pervasive corruption – especially in relation to the Olympic games expenses, which reportedly are reaching $50 billion. To compare, other winter Olympics cost $3-4 billion.

SPEAKERS
Featuring keynote remarks by
The Honorable Ted Cruz (R-TX)
United States Senator

Stanislav Belkovsky 
Chairman, Stanslav Belkovsky Foundation

Katrina Lantos Swett, Ph.D.
Vice Chair, United States Commission on International Religious Freedom

Followed by a panel with 
Ariel Cohen, Ph.D. 
Senior Research Fellow, Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Institute for International Studies, The Heritage Foundation

Ilan Berman
Vice President of the American Foreign Policy Council

Donald N. Jensen, Ph.D. 
Resident Fellow, The Center for Transatlantic Relations, School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), Johns Hopkins University

Vladimir Kara-Murza
Senior Policy Advisor, Institute of Modern Russia

Hosted by Steven P. Bucci, Ph.D.

Director, Douglas and Sarah Allison Center for Foreign Policy Studies

5. Egypt & The Struggle for Democracy

Wednesday, January 29 | 9:30am – 5:30pm

Georgetown University – Rafik B. Hariri Building, Fisher Colloquium, room 490; 37^th and O St NW

REGISTER TO ATTEND

Conference Program

9:30am

Opening Remarks

John L. Esposito, Georgetown University

9:40-11am
Session 1: Critical Stages of the Egyptian Revolution: Was the Coup Inevitable?

Moderator:
John O. Voll, Georgetown University

Panelists:
Michele Dunne
Wael Haddara
Carrie Wickham
Mohamad Elmasry

11:00-11:15am — Coffee Break

11:15am-12:45pm
Session 2: The Current Status of Democracy, Human Rights, and the Rule of Law

Moderator:
Yvonne Haddad, Georgetown University

Panelists:
Dalia Fahmy
Maha Azzam
Rachel Scott
Mohammad Fadel

12:45-1:45pm — Break

1:45-3:15pm
Session 3: The Role of the Youth Movements and NGOs After the Coup

Moderator:
Jonathan Brown, Georgetown University

Panelists:
Mohamed Abbas
Abdelfattah Mady
Maryam Jamshidi
Islam Lotfy Shalaby

3:15-3:30pm — Coffee Break

3:30-5:20pm
Session 4: Restoration of Democracy and the Rule of Law in Egypt: The Roles of the Pro-Democracy Groups and the International Community

Moderator:
Tamara Sonn, College of William & Mary

Panelists:
Abdul Mawgoud Dardery
Nathan Brown
Dalia Mogahed
Emad Shahin

5:20-5:30pm
Concluding Remarks
Osama Abi Mershed, CCAS Director

6. Arab Spring or Arab Autumn: Women’s Political Participation in the Arab Uprisings and Beyond

Thursday, January 30 | 3pm – 4:30pm

Woodrow Wilson Center 6^th floor, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW

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In 2010 as young people across the Arab world began to rise up and demand a new kind of politics, women were active as leaders and participants, taking part in demonstrations, making their voices heard, and seeking change. Talk of an Arab Spring has now been succeeded by warnings about diminished human rights and democracy in the region. Within this complex and evolving picture, what are the prospects for expanding women’s rights? What is the evolving role of women in shaping the future of the region?

Join us for a panel discussion where speakers will discuss key challenges and opportunities for women’s participation and rights in various countries in the region. The event will highlight insights from a new CARE research report analyzing women’s political participation in countries such as Egypt, Yemen, and Morocco.

SPEAKERS
Stephenie Foster: Senior Policy Advisor, Office of Global Women’s Issues, State Department

Sherine Ibrahim: Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East and Eastern Europe, CARE

Maryam Jamshidi: Founder, Muftah.org and Author, “The Future of the Arab Spring: Civic Entrepreneurship in Politics, Art, and Technology Startups”

Moderated by Haleh Esfandiari: Director, Middle East Program, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars

7. Peace for Israel and Palestine? Public Opinion 20 Years after Oslo

Friday, January 31 | 9:30 – 11am

New America Foundation, 1899 L St NW, Suite 400

This is the new date for an event that had to be rescheduled because of inclement weather. If you plan on attending on the new date, please RSVP, even if you responded to the invitation on the previous date. 

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In collaboration with the Arab American Institute.

As Secretary of State John Kerry’s April deadline for a peace agreement approaches, a key concern is whether the Israeli and Palestinian publics are ready to support an agreement. Where do Israelis and Palestinians stand on key issues, and what kind of peace agreement do they want?

Twenty years after the signing of the Oslo Accords, Zogby Research Services examined these questions in its latest public opinion poll on Israeli and Palestinian attitudes toward the peace process. Please join the Arab American Institute and the New America Foundation’s Middle East Task Force for the survey’s public release and a discussion of its findings. The poll, conducted for the Sir Bani Yas Forum in the UAE, provides critical insights for today’s peace negotiators as they seek a viable agreement that both the Israeli and Palestinian publics can support.

PARTICIPANTS
Presenter:
James Zogby
President, Arab American Institute and Zogby Research Services

Panelists:
Khaled Elgindy
Fellow, Saban Center for Middle East Policy, Brookings Institution

Lara Friedman
Director, Policy and Government Relations, Americans for Peace Now

Moderator:
Leila Hilal
Director, Middle East Task Force, New America Foundation

If you are unable to join us in person, please tune in to our live webcast of the event.

8. Saving Syria’s Civilians: Urgent Priorities and Policies

Friday, January 31 | 9am – 12:15pm

The National Press Club, 13^th Floor; 529 14^th St NW

REGISTER TO ATTEND

The Middle East Institute is proud to present a half-day conference examining the humanitarian crisis in Syria. Bringing together voices from the humanitarian and policy communities, the conference will foster a discussion about the urgency of the civilian situation on the ground, its impact on neighboring host countries, and tangible policy solutions aimed at long-term stabilization of the crisis. 

CONFERENCE AGENDA

8:50am Opening Remarks
Amb. Wendy Chamberlin
President, The Middle East Institute

9:00am-10:30am Panel I: Mapping the Crisis
Amin Awad, UNHCR
Abdallah Al-Dardari, UN-ESCWA, Beirut
Uma Kandalayeva, International Relief and Development
Jomana Qaddour, Syria Relief and Development, Inc.
Moderated by Kate Seelye, The Middle East Institute

10:30am-10:45am Coffee Break

10:45am-12:15pm Panel II: Policies and Solutions
Amb. Jeffrey Feltman, UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs
Najib Ghadian, National Coalition of Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces
Encho Gospodinov, EU Commission for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid, and Crisis Response
Anne Richard, Asst. Secretary of State for Population, Refugees, and Migration
Moderated by Paul Salem, The Middle East Institute

12:30pm-1:45pm Keynote Luncheon featuring USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah
The keynote luncheon requires separate registration.