FNF’s Dr. Meinardus with LAS Commissioner Nancy Bakeer and Ambassador Hisham Youssef

Once more, Cairo came to the fore of the civil society in the Arab world: More than one hundred delegates representing NGOs, political parties, labour unions, international human rights organizations and the European Union joined the Conference on “Freedom of Association. A Roadmap for the Future” organized by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Liberty (FNF) from February 10 to 12, 2010. The three-day event marked the formal ending of a three-year regional project aimed at promoting the right to freedom of association in the Arab world.  This project has been supported by the European Union and was – in the initial phase – focused on Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine and Syria. At a later stage, project activities were also conducted in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. At the recent Cairo conference, FNF could welcome delegates from Bahrain, Yemen, Sudan and Mauritania. “This project has opened many new doors and the Foundation’s image in the Arab civil society has benefited considerably”, said Ralf Erbel, Director of the FNF Amman office that has been responsible for the project’s implementation.

Two back-to-back workshops in Tunis and Rabat conclude the “Maghreb Outreach” component of the FNF-EU cofinanced regional project on Freedom of Association in the Arab World 

Two successful back-to-back workshops held in Tunis on January 19th 2010 and in Rabat on January 21st 2010 concluded the “outreach component” of the FNF-EU cofinanced regional project on Freedom of Association in the Arab World. The project, which aims at enhancing the legal framework of associations in the Arab World through national dialogue and empowerment of civil society, is a three year project (2007-2010) implemented by the Amman office of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Liberty and its Arab partner organisations.

Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Liberty (FNF) workshops on Liberalism and Programme Politics, Young Leaders Trained in Jordan and Lebanon

In two workshops conducted in Jordan and Lebanon on 8-13 December 2009, more than 50 young liberals were trained in FNF workshops by Mr Frederik Ferié, an expert on political marketing and currently Secretary General of the International Federation of Liberal Youth (IFLRY).

Beirut, 10 December 2009

“Beyond the Rentier State: Options for Lebanon” was the title of this year’s keynote speech at LEA’s Annual Meeting in Beirut on 10 December 2009, organised in cooperation with the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Liberty (FNF). The speech was delivered by Dr. Omar Razzaz, a former World Bank representative for Lebanon and current director of the Jordanian Social Security Corporation as well as member on LEA’s International Advisory Board.

 

Expert Group Meeting “Policies for Peace Building and Conflict Prevention in Western Asia”

Beirut, 9-10 December 2009

 Prominent experts from think tanks, academic institutions, UN agencies and other multilateral organizations as well as decision-makers and civil society representatives came together in Beirut on 9-10 December 2009 to debate policies for peace building and conflict prevention in Western Asia.

The relationship between economic freedom and social justice was the theme of this year’s Economic Freedom of the ArabWorld Conference, held in Marrakech on 14-15 November 2009. As in earlier years, the event was co-organized by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Liberty (FNF), the Fraser Institute of Canada and the International Research Foundation of Oman. The Association of Young Entrepreneurs of Morocco Centre de Jeunes Dirigents D’Entreprise joined as local partners. FNF’s Amman Office sent to the conference distinguished economic and political partners from Jordan’s Young Entrepreneurs Association YEA (Mr. Nidal Bitar), the Jordanian Free Thought Forum (Mr. Tarek Zuriekat), the Syrian Young Entrepreneurs Association (Mr. Rassin Martini, Mr. Amer Hafi), Iraq’s former deputy finance minister, Dr. Kamal Field Al-Basri, and Lebanon’s Mr. Zeiad Hariri on behalf of the Lebanese Economic Association LEA.

Panel discussion in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall

More than 60 guests assembled to attend the panel discussion organized by the Jordan Institute of Diplomacy and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNF) Amman Office, in partnership with the German Embassy Amman. Among them: Ambassadors and other diplomats from Europe and beyond, as well as over 20 members of the Jordanian Foreign Service and dozens of friends and partners of FNF in Jordan.

The evening began on a distinctly ceremonial and festive note, with the Jordanian and German national anthems followed by a welcome note by Dr. Kamel Abu Jaber, former Jordanian Foreign Minister and current adviser at the Jordan Institute of Diplomacy. Dr. Abu Jaber welcomed the audience, providing first glimpses and food for thought concerning the evening’s topic.

Role of New Media in Advocacy

Over 40 Jordanian digital activists and civil society representatives attended a discussion session entitled ”The Role of New Media in Advocacy” on October 23rd, an event organized jointly by the Free Thought Forum (FTF) and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Liberty (FNF) in the framework of a series of events designed to enhance citizens’ participation in public life.

Lebanese Prime Minister-designate Hariri welcomes

Liberal Youth in Beirut

  Bi-annual Meeting of International Federation of Liberal Youth (IFLRY) Executive Committee, 15-19 July 2009

 

 In photo: "Mr. Saad Hariri receiving the 100 strong IFLRY delegation, including FNF's Dr. Meinardus, Mr. Erbel, Mrs. Hussein and Mr. Walde for a 2 hour Q&A at his private residence in Beirut"

”It is the youth that drives societies forward. You are the ones who bring about change. I want to encourage you: never give up.” Mr Saad Hariri, Prime Minister-to-be in Lebanon thus welcomed participants of the IFLRY bi-annual Executive Committee Meeting in Beirut, the first ever to take place in an Arab country. From 15-19 July 2009 about 100 liberal youth leaders from all parts of the world assembled in Lebanon, hosted by the Lebanese "Future Youth", a member of IFLRY.