The Gabr Fellowship Newsletter

March 2018, Issue 8

2017 GABR FELLOWS AT THE UNITED NATIONS IN IN THIS ISSUE jjj

The Future: § In Brief…

As the Foundation gears up for the 2018 Gabr - Reham Salem begins a PhD program Fellowship, which emerged from the East-West: The Art of Dialogue Initiative, the Foundation is pleased to -Gabr Fellows gather in Egypt for a meeting announce that applicants from France, the United with Mr. M. Shafik Gabr

Kingdom, Jordan, and Lebanon shall be considered for - Ahmed Radwan concludes a theater tour participation, alongside Egyptian and American Fellows. -Afnan Elwy welcomes a daughter

The Foundation shall be very selective in its choice -Aly Salem and Youssef El Toukhy make career of applicants in 2018 and shall focus on eligible applicants (see the details on transitions

www.eastwestdialogue.org) who have a strong -Nick Thomas meets with members of view of the future. The Foundation believes that Congress with advances in artificial intelligence, robotics, cyber, and bioscience, and the lack of private and -Nourhan Moussa recognized in New Delhi public privacy, the future shall be the domain of those who innovate. -Members of the 2017 Cohort accepted to the Drew Instiute on Religion and Conflict

So, the Foundation shall focus on applicants who Transformation

are innovators, creators, and problem solvers who -Apply to the 2018 Gabr Fellowship today have a need for a greater global understanding of

the geopolitical world we live in, and wish to build -Magdalena Kura joins a new company and bridges of common interest and understanding completes a 500-mile bike ride between the East and West.

-2017 Gabr Fellows introduce Egypt to an elementary school class in Washington, DC M. Shafik Gabr -Gabr Foundation Book Corner: See what the Foundation is currently reading

-Michael Matthiesen and Abdelrahman Amr write about the US-Egypt relationship amid aid cuts

In Focus…

Egyptian Fellow Ahmed Radwan Concludes Reham Salem Begins Reunion his Theater Tour PhD Program

Gabr Fellows from Egypt met with

Chairman and Founder Mr. M.

Shafik Gabr. They discussed their Ahmed Radwan (2015 Gabr Fellow) achievements and the upcoming Reham Salem (2017 Gabr Fellow) concluded his February 2018 theater presidential election, and debated began her PhD at the Faculty of tour in , Alexandria, and Luxor. He Mass Communication and became a the successes and challenges facing played the lead role in “The the Egyptian education system. member of the prestigious Honeymoon,” which was performed at Presidential Leadership Program. Moataz Hussein (2013 Gabr the AUC Falaki Theater, Je Suit Fellow) highlighted that his Congratulations Reham! Alexandria Culture Center, and Luxor’s company, IT Works, will be Cultural Palace. Great work Ahmed! partnering with the Ministry of Education to digitalize the education system through software portals the company designed.

Afnan Elwy Welcomes Aly Salem and Nick Thomas Meets Daughter Youssef El Toukhy Join New Firms Congressional Representatives in DC

Aly Salem (2017 Gabr Fellow) recently joined the Sarie- Eldin Afnan Elwy (2015 Gabr Fellow) & Partners Legal Advisors firm. Nick Thomas (2015 Gabr Fellow) met welcomed a daughter named Zad. We Aly previously worked with the with Congressman Steve King and are so excited to welcome the newest International Organization on Hunter King (2017 Gabr Fellow) in member of the Gabr Fellow community Migration. Youssef El Toukhy Washington, DC. Nick is currently an and send best wishes to the family at this (2016 Gabr Fellow) started a Independent Candidate for Congress in exciting time. Congratulations Afnan on new position as a Design Colorado and has been meeting with this most welcome news! Engineer at Silicon Vision, an leaders across the country. Egyptian group that is part of Synopsys, an American tech company. Congratulations Aly and Youssef! Applications are Open Nourhan Moussa 2017 Gabr Fellows Accepted for the 2018 Fellowship Recognized in New to Drew Instiute on Religion Delhi and Conflict Transformation

Applications for the 2018 Gabr Fellowship have officially launched. If you know someone who is passionate about creating lasting relationships, wants to participate in an immersive

Nourhan Moussa (2014 Gabr cross-cultural experience, and is Fellow) received the 2018 India interested in building a stronger, more Youth Prize. She attended the inclusive, world, then they should Dalia Ihab Younis, Ibrahim Hamouda, celebration ceremony in New Delhi apply. This program is open to Amr Seda, and Abdelrahman Amr (2017 at the Constitutional Club on emerging young leaders between the Gabr Fellows) were accepted to the Drew International Youth Employment ages of 24 and 35. More information Day. Congratulations Nourhan! University Institute on Religion and Conflict can be found on Transformation. This program trains https://eastwestdialogue.org. leaders from different faith groups around the world in inter-religious understanding, dialogue, and conflict transformation.

Particiapnts will study for three weeks on Drew University’s campus in .

Magdalena Kura Joins New 2017 Gabr Fellows Gabr Foundation Book Firm and Undertakes 500- Engage with the Next Corner Mile Bike Ride Generation

Magdalena Kura (2015 Gabr Fellow)

recently completed a 500-mile bike trip, Each month, Foundation Chairman starting from Wilmington, North Carolina Sherif Soliman and Dalia Ihab Mr. M. Shafik Gabr provides and ending in Jacksonville, . More Younis (2017 Gabr Fellows) reading recommendations for Gabr details on her journey can be found at teleconferenced with Jack Fellows. This month, he suggested www.zigzagging.world. She is also starting Gordon’s (2017 Gabr Fellow) Radical Technologies by Adam a new job as a Product Manager at daughter’s elementary school class Greenfield and A Mosque in Munich Empatico, an organization connecting in Washington, DC. The class is by Ian Johnson. Two books that students from around the world to currently learning about the Fellows were advised to avoid are empower the next generation of global continent of Africa, and Dalia and Fire and Fury by Michael Wolff and citizens. The company uses video Sherif discussed Egypt’s history and Misunderstanding Terrorism by Marc conferencing and accompanying activities cultural traditions. We look forward Sageman. Happy reading and stay to not only build skills, but cross-cultural to welcoming these students as tuned for more reading suggestions bridges and empathy as well. future Gabr Fellows in a few years! next month! Congratulations Magda!

East-West Chitchat: Is US Aid to Egypt Really Under Threat?

By Abdelrahman Amr and Michael Matthiesen, 2017 Gabr Fellows

Abdelrahman and Michael explore the backward” through his use of torture and However, according to Rieser, the proposed relationship between Egypt and the United repression of political activism. cuts were made because Egypt’s government States, with a focus on the military aid cut hasn’t addressed US human rights concerns, especially as the Egyptian government has amid human rights concerns. Since the Camp David Accords, the US has been giving an aid package to Egypt that adopted increasing autocratic policies. “The response [from the Egyptian government] View full article at Egypt has used for national development has been very disappointing, and the https://egyptianstreets.com/2018/02/08/is- since President Sadat. The decision to cut a situation has gotten progressively worse.” us-aid-to-egypt-really-under-threat-2/ portion of both economic and military aid came as a shock to Egypt given that bilateral Rieser argues that the aid is not a blank Pragmatism is a genuinely American social relations between the two countries check and that the US is trying to show philosophy and since the formation of the significantly improved as President Donald through the proposed cuts that it wants a libertarian ideological charged Tea Party in Trump entered office. Even during the serious partner in Egypt, which requires 2009, many have been Obama administration, Secretary of State addressing fundamental issues that the US is questioning the effectiveness of foreign aid John Kerry defended the US position of rightly concerned about. and its role in serving American interests. waiving the human rights conditions on This pragmatic libertarian form of foreign aid by pointing to Egypt’s In order to resolve the situation, Rieser questioning has given rise to the political deteriorating security situation. argues that the US government expects careers of politicians like Senator Rand Paul Egypt to address issues such as the NGO and President Donald Trump, who call for a The retained aid, which amounts to $290 laws, criminal cases against American NGO cut to foreign aid especially when Americans, million USD, at this point is merely symbolic workers, the conduct of military activities in at home, are suffering. since it does not have a huge impact on the Sinai, more tolerance of political parties, and Egyptian economy. Consequently, the the cases of Egyptian-Americans who are Those who are supporters of foreign aid Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a believed to be unjustly imprisoned, as well as argue that views like the Senator’s and statement in which described the US cut in other human rights cases. President’s are misinformed. Foreign aid has aid as “poor judgement of the strategic had a tremendous impact on perpetuating and enforcing American interests abroad, by relations that have bound the two countries Earlier in May last year, President Sisi for decades.” This statement was made announced the new NGO law that was empowering America’s allies, and in the case realizing the political responsibility Egypt has heavily criticized as it constrains civil society of Egypt, making allies. Nonetheless, those and that major responses will affect the in Egypt and threatens to limit and who make an argument that doesn’t appeal to the common American voters’ pragmatic region in a way that goes beyond the criminalize the activities of different rights decision to cut the aid. groups, which can result in suspending reflex will only find their argument falling groups in the future. The new law aims to flat. With that said, this article will take a pragmatic perspective while discussing the Despite all their Fire and Fury, Egypt’s prevent NGOs from taking part in any actions arguments of the American voter. politicians have failed to address the that have to do with the country’s national American voters’ most pragmatic question: security, something that rights groups In August 2017, the US Senate proposed how does giving money to Egypt serve considered to be unclear and can be used cutting $195 million USD from US aid to American interests? History shows the aid to against them in different ways. Egypt, citing human rights violations in Egypt has protected American interests accordance with Leahy Laws, named after immensely. Egypt was the first country to “There are many issues, and Senator Leahy is current US Senator Leahy. Human Rights strike a peace deal with Israel due to the aid, looking for serious responses by the Egyptian Watch has been very critical of al-Sisi’s and the resulting economic benefit to the government to these concerns, not excuses government, accusing him of returning to Egyptian economy has made Egyptian or blanket denials,” he added. Mubarak-era styles of torture, something consumers a reliable purchaser of American that the 2011 Revolution fought to end. goods. The Egyptian military is a force to be To read more, visit reckoned with in the , which has https://egyptianstreets.com/2018/02/08/is- made Egypt an excellent ally to have in us-aid-to-egypt-really-under-threat-2/ and Human rights violations in Egypt range from stay tuned for more articles and thoughts arbitrary arrests and detentions, excessive fighting terrorism and promoting American interests in the region. According to Tim from Gabr Fellows in the next newsletter. use of force, enforced disappearances to unfair trials among many others. Rieser, senior foreign policy aide to Senator Patrick Leahy, it is in the US interest to

continuing providing aid to Egypt because It is no wonder then that Senator John any country of Egypt’s size in an unstable McCain, a former prisoner of war and the region like the Middle East is one that the US strongest voice against torture in the US wants to have “the best possible relationship Senate, recently joined the chorus of US with” for strategic reasons, both militarily Senators speaking out on Egypt and and economically. criticized Sisi for lurching Egypt “dangerously

For more information on the Shafik Gabr Foundation and its East-West: The Art of Dialogue Initiative, please visit the website The Gabr https://eastwestdialogue.org/.

Fellowship For earlier itineraries of the US program, please see the previous years’ reports at https://eastwestdialogue.org/fellowship/brochures/ Newsletter

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