Global Action Forum:
Arab and American Dialogue

The vast distance between the Arab world and the United States (US) is not only a geographic separation between land masses, but is also one of different histories, languages, religions and culture. The US is universally recognized for its contribution to the global economy, the worldwide political landscape and as the incubator for various socio-cultural phenomena that become widely adopted. Likewise, within the US, there is an increasing recognition of its interconnectedness to the Arab world as a key market and a source of important resources.

Despite the recognition of the mutual importance of the US and the Arab world, the current feeling within both regions is that the cultural divide is growing ever larger. Instead of ignoring that fact, leaders from both the US and Arab region will use the opportunity of the Global Action Forum to join together in dialogue and focus on action-oriented approaches to address the misperception and misunderstanding that exists. What better way to bridge cultures than to jointly create and ‘own’ programs, initiatives and partnerships that originate from positive respect and which foster connections, build mutual cooperation and address issues of vital importance to Arab youth? That is how Young Arab Leaders work to bridge the cultural divide: through outreach to regions of significant economic importance.

"With the aim of supporting dialogue, understanding, and cooperation between leaders in the Arab world and their counterparts in the USA, the 2006 action oriented Forum brought together 200 American and Arab leaders, resulted in a series of commitments and tangible initiatives to help Arabs and Americans find common ground for greater understanding, knowledge exchange and business opportunities.

"Two years after our first meeting and over the course of two-days, we are to take this initiative a step forward and translate the outcome into actionable projects. YAL will announce three major programs to increase mutual understanding and develop business relationships during the Forum."
H.E. Dr. Omar Bin Sulaiman
Chairman of the Board of Young Arab Leaders and Governor of the Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC)

The Global Action Forum: Arab and American Dialogue will be held at the Jumeirah Essex House, New York on March 14th – 15th 2008. It represents a unique opportunity for Young Arab Leaders to gather with US counterparts from government, business, and academia to build on the success of the first Forum held in 2006.

The Global Action Program was launched in 2006 as part of the Young Arab Leaders initiative for inter-regional dialogue. The Program has evolved into a series of “Action Forums” that attract leaders and decision-makers from across the globe with the aim of supporting dialogue, understanding, and cooperation and generating a series of commitments and tangible initiatives to help Arab leaders and their peers from America, Europe and Asia to find common ground for greater understanding, knowledge exchange and business opportunities.

In 2006, the first Action Forum in the US took place in New York under the patronage of His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan and with the support and participation of President Clinton and His Highness Shaikh Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince of Bahrain. It brought together two hundred American and Arab leaders who sought to challenge the cultural and social divide that existed at the time, given the prevailing climate of worrying disconnect between the two regions and their citizens. The success of the event was the development of a new model of cooperation focused on building bridges not walls, nurturing connections not isolation and cementing partnerships not divisions.

Highlights from the 2008 Forum include:

One economic phenomenon of importance to young leaders in both the US and the Arab world is that of “entrepreneurship”. There is much to be learned through dialogue that helps to understand the elements that enable the accomplishments of entrepreneurs in both regions. Enabling innovation is especially important in the Arab world, where entrepreneurship is seen as a tangible means to develop new economic realities and opportunities for unattached, unemployed and underemployed youth. How can the twin pillars of economic growth (innovation and entrepreneurship) produce the kind of results that have been witnessed in developed nations (such as the US) and be transferred and embedded in emerging economies in the Arab world?

“Enabling Entrepreneurs for the Future” is one of the Action Forum’s special sessions that will address how to cultivate and grow innovation in the Arab world. Building on and learning from the success story of Mrs. Azza Fahmy (a notable entrepreneur), panelists will discuss how policy reform, creation of networks and facilitating knowledge transfer can contribute to vast opportunities that are long-lasting and have widespread benefit for Arab youth.

The Action Forum will provide an opportunity to launch and discuss the Young Arab Leader’s Global Action Institute (GAI). The establishment of the GAI as a “bricks and mortar” enterprise, beyond an abstract concept will be a proud moment for Young Arab Leaders. Delegates at the Action Forum will have a unique opportunity to contribute to setting the strategic direction of the GAI, which will initiate new avenues of cooperation and nurture existing partnerships between the Arab world and the United States. This will be a tangible and ongoing way to bridge and reduce the cultural divide.

“I think it is quite important for us to continue to have this dialogue. There is so much about the Arab world that American people do not know.”
William J. Clinton
Former President of the United States

The Arab and American Business Fellowship Program (AABP) was created in 2007 as a partnership between Young Arab Leaders, Business for Diplomatic Action and the US Center for Citizen Diplomacy, to foster mutual understanding and respect between Arab and American societies. The AABP has been a powerful platform for the development of two-way business relationships, shared insights about two different and important regions, and increased knowledge gained as a result of exposure to and appreciation for both cultures. More detailed results of the AABP (from the perspective of participants) will be presented at the Global Action Forum. Sharing the tangible outcomes of results-driven initiatives (such as the Arab American Business Fellowship Program) is a hallmark of Young Arab Leaders who exist to build a prosperous environment by creating opportunities for Arab Youth in education, leadership development and entrepreneurship.

The media has grown to unprecedented levels in both the United States and the Arab world. A significant amount of broadcasting in the Arab world originates from within the US. Yet a paradox exists: Arab youth who express negative sentiments towards the US and who consume and enjoy television programs, movies and computer-based games from America.

We know that media—in all forms—is powerful and influences our thinking in both positive and negative ways. It can foster or destroy an appreciation and respect for cultures and cultural differences. Recognizing that media is such a fundamentally significant tool in bridging the cultural divide, the Young Arab Leaders will use the Global Action Forum as a catalyst to embark on various action-oriented initiatives to expose youth to critical issues in the media (such as stereotyping and sensationalism) and encourage them to take a more empathic approach when considering their counterparts in other countries.

The Action Forum will be held less than eight months before the US General Election. As the political landscape changes, delegates at the Action Forum will have a special opportunity to discuss and understand the results of the primary races, the nature of the differing policy platforms and the views that Presidential candidates have about and towards the Arab world. This is an exceptional period in American politics. The Action Forum will take advantage of this occasion and our noted speakers to make sense of the potential outcomes from the election and the impact on foreign policy, civil rights and the global economy.

The mandate of the Young Arab Leaders is to cultivate future Arab leaders, who will contribute within and beyond the Arab world to fostering mutual respect for different cultures and to solving the most pressing issues of the day. This Action Forum is the way to fulfill that mandate. Making this event a priority is a tangible means to demonstrate your support and display your leadership.