Crossing Cultures – CPP Alumni Share Insights with Young MENA Leaders
NOV 21 – Alumni of PSA’s Congressional Partnership Program joined young leaders from the Middle East and North Africa to exchange ideas on media, politics, and government. Thanks for the great opportunity UN Alliance of Civilizations!
Congressional Partnership Program: Started in 2009, PSA’s highly selective Congressional staff foreign policy and national security program – the first of its kind – runs two times each year. This opportunity is for Congressional staff interested in generating dialogue and developing the skills and relationships required to advance bipartisanship on critical national security and foreign policy issues. Through policy seminars and networking activities, this unique program aims to equip the next generation of foreign policy and security experts to respect differences, build common ground and achieve U.S. national interests.
UNAOC Fellowship Programme: The purpose of the Fellowship is to facilitate positive cooperation and understanding between the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and Europe and North America (EUNA) by supporting emerging leaders from these regions to develop a nuanced understanding of each other.
About the UNAOC– The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) was established in 2005, at the political initiative of Mr. Kofi Anan, former UN Secretary General and co-sponsored by the Governments of Spain and Turkey.
A High-Level Group of experts was formed by Mr. Annan to explore the roots of polarization between societies and cultures today, and to recommend a practical programme of action to address this issue. The Report of the High-Level Group provided analysis and put forward practical recommendations that form the basis for the implementation plan of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations.
On 27 February 2013, Mr. Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser assumed the position of UN High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations succeeding President Jorge Sampaio.
The UNAOC High Representative and Secretariat are based and operating from New York. The Alliance maintains a global network of partners including States, International and regional organizations, civil society groups, foundations, and the private sector to improve cross-cultural relations between diverse nations and communities.
In its 2006 report, the High-Level Group identified four priority areas for action namely, (Education, Youth, Migration, Media). UNAOC project activities are fashioned around these four areas, which can play a critical role in helping to reduce cross-cultural tensions and to build bridges between communities.