In a country widely recognized for the conciliatory leadership it seeks to bring the world, IWF will reach across its global network t o assemble women leaders in Amman to reflect on both shared and differentiating experiences. With international scholars and leaders, IWF invites you to join the discussion that will help inform us in dispelling mutual myths and misperceptions between East and West. Building Bridges – Breaking Walls offers a first-of-its-kind global exchange for women leaders embracing answers and a way forward to mutual respect and peaceful co-existence.
Under the patronage of Her Majesty Queen Rania Al-Abdullah, Founder of IWF Jordan, women leaders from around the world are invited to join IWF in this ancient and biblical land for a conversation unlike any other. In unity, with stewardship and trust, come to Amman, May 14-16 and help expand the circle of understanding that lifts prospects for a more sustainable future.
Reem Abu Hassan Gay Cook
President President
IWF Jordan International Women's Forum
9:00
am - 6:00 pm IWF Registration
9:00 am - 6:00 pm Tour Desk - Abercrombie & Kent
7:00 pm Opening Reception – 2007 World Cornerstone Conference – Amman
Atop the Citadel
Towering atop Amman, IWF will kick-off the 2007 Conference – Building Bridges – Breaking Walls – in the courtyard of the Omayyad Palace at the ancient ruins of The Citadel where remains of the Byzantine Empire, Roman Empire and an Omayyad city proudly stand in testimony to Jordan 's rich history and heritage.
9:00 pm - 11:00 pm IWF Hospitality Suite
9:00 am - 6:00 pm IWF Registration
9:00 am - 6:00 pm Tour Desk - Abercrombie & Kent
7:00 am Continental Breakfast – Grand Hyatt Amman
8:20 am Welcome - Reem Abu Hassan, President, IWF Jordan
Introductory Remarks – Gay Cook, IWF President
8:30 am Plenary I– Islam, Democracy and Modernization
Western models of democracy are promoted as a universal solution for political reform and development, and even as a precondition for economic development. To what extent is this notion of democracy compatible with the needs and realities of Arab and Middle Eastern societies? Is democracy a universally valid and empowering process, and why? What are the challenges facing democratization forces in the Arab World? Is Islam compatible with Western notions of democracy or are other alternative governance models viable? Featuring John Voll, Professor of Islamic history and associate director of the Prince Alwaled bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University and recipient of the Presidential Medal for scholarship on Islam from President Husni Mubarak of Egypt; Fatima Moustaghfir, Member of the House of Representatives, Parliament of Morocco; and Khaled Abou El Fadl, Omar and Azmeralda Alfi Professor of Law, UCLA School of Law & 2005 Carnegie Scholar in Islamic studies.
10:00 am Coffee Break
10:20 am Break-Out Sessions – Participants will choose from one of the sessions below for in-depth roundtable discussions with leaders from around the world and across the region:
Faith, Identity & Co-Existence – Religion is increasingly portrayed as a force that divides, separating the Middle East from the West, and resulting in a presumption of incompatibility that provides the dominant motif for storytelling about Islamic and Western cultures. Yet, the Middle East, as the cradle of civilization and home to the world's three great religions, has long been a place where people of diverse faiths have interacted and lived in close proximity to one another. Why has religious identity and fundamentalism assumed renewed significance in a modern world that is decidedly more secular? What are the challenges of and opportunities for religious co-existence and dialogue in today's world? Featuring Maria Rosa Menocal, Sterling Professor of the Humanities, Yale University and author of The Ornament of the World, How Muslims, Jews and Christians Created a Culture of Tolerance in Medieval Spain; Dr. Janet Martin Soskice, University Reader in Philosophical Theology at Cambridge University, Fellow of Jesus College, Cambridge and first woman to be President of the Catholic Theological Association of Great Britain; and Dr. Minwer al-Meheid, Saudi Art Restorer and Architect and Dean of the College of Islamic Traditional Art, Al-Balqa University.
Education, Culture and Competitiveness - Arab governments and society face technical and cultural challenges in reforming their educational systems to maintain competitiveness in today's global economy. What should be the educational priorities of Arab societies? What role can Information & Communication Technology (ICT) play in accelerating educational reforms? Do the requirements of reform pose a challenge for national identities? What role can/should educational systems play in bridging cultural gaps and promoting world citizenry? Featuring: Samia al-Farra, Principal, Amman Baccalaureate School; Leila Serhan , Marketing Manager, Microsoft, Eastern Mediterranean (Lebanon); and Nabil El-Haggar, Vice-President, University of Lille, France.
Arab Women Parliamentarians – Another Perspective – With the recent establishment of an Arab women parliamentarians' network affiliated with the Women's Committee of the Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union (AIPU) and supported by the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), female parliamentarians are working to strengthen women's political participation in Arab nations. With Arab women parliamentarians, explore issues related to women's rights and their applicability across the Arab World. To what extent can it be claimed that Western notions of women's rights are universally valid? What prospects for the future does increased participation of women political leaders in Arab nations have in store? Featuring Wijdan Talhouni Saket, Senator, Jordan; Alees Samaan, MP, Bahrain and the first woman to Chair a parliament in the Middle East; and Dr. Farkhonda Hassan, MP, Egypt.
12:00 Noon Luncheon Programme – Grey Areas: The Complexity of Relationships– East to West
The Middle East and The West are not singular entities. Each represents broad geographical regions that include diverse cultures and constituencies. The dramatic internal political divisions within all Western states and the rivalries and competition between governments around the world result in a patchwork approach to foreign and economic policy formation. In the mix, there are seeds for building bridges and breaking walls in the relations between peoples. Featuring H.E. Huseyin Diriöz, Ambassador of Turkey; H.E. David Hale, Ambassador of the United States to Jordan ; H.E. Alexander Kalugin, Ambassador of Russia to Jordan; Charlotta Månsson, Deputy Head of Mission & First Secretary at the Embassy of Sweden in Amman. Moderated by Raghida Dergham, Columnist and Senior Diplomatic Correspondent for the London-based Al Hayat - the leading Independent Arabic daily.
2:00 pm Behind the Scenes – Participants may choose from one of the following once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to go Behind the Scenes of The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to experience:
• Madaba Institute of Mosaic Art & Restoration
Established in 1992 under the auspices of the Department of Antiquities, the school is located in the ancient center of Madaba, renowned for its mosaic heritage. Visit the workshop and view mosaic production and restoration techniques and visit the old Ottoman houses and Archeological Park. The park accommodates several ancient mosaic panels in an open-air museum that boasts the oldest mosaic panel ever found in Jordan, dating from the 1st century BC. The session will be led by Riham Hadad, Director of the Madaba Institute.
• Queen Rania Family & Child Center
The Queen Rania Family and Child Center (QRFCC) is pioneering a new innovative approach of providing comprehensive services in order to combat child abuse. The awareness and training programs offered at QRFCC aim at strengthening the family unit, spreading awareness about developmentally appropriate practices, and empowering parents and children with the knowledge they need to avoid abuse. QRFCC is located in the underprivileged area of Jabal Al-Naser, in the Eastern part of Amman. Populated with over 200,000 inhabitants (approx 33,000 families), Jabal Al-Naser represents an area of multiple risk factors in relation to child abuse such as poverty, high unemployment, over population, lack of basic services and poor social status.
The services at QRFCC are offered to communities throughout Jordan and are operated through the auspices of the Jordan River Foundation. IWF members and their guests will be received by Valentina Qussisiya, Deputy Director, Jordan River Foundation and the Queen Rania Center's Samia Bishara , Child Care Manager, Alia Khleifat, Child Safety Program Development Manager, and Zina Khoury, Dar al Aman Manager.
• Darat Al Funun ( Arts Museum ) – The Khalid Shoman Foundation
On a hill overlooking Amman, stands Darat al Funun, home for the arts and artists of Jordan and the Arab World. Founded in 1993, the site chosen to house Darat al Funun Arts Museum consists of three historic buildings which stand alongside the archeological remains of a 6th century Byzantine church. The main building was commissioned by Nimr Pasha al Hmoud, the Mayor of Salt and in 1938, served as the official residence of the British commander of the Arab Legion, Colonel F.G. Peake. The Blue House was originally built by workers from the Circassian community for Ismail Haqqi Abdo, the former governor of Akka. Here the work of French/Moroccan photographer Farida Hamak is on display. The third house, Dar Khalid, was once home to Sheik Fouad al Khateeb, poet and advisor at the court of Emir Abdullah. Dar Khalid is a museum dedicated to the memory and legacy of Darat al Funun's founder and art patron, the late Khalid Shoman. IWF members and their guests will be received by the Director, Laura Srouji Khoury.
• Ms. Widad Kawar – Private Viewing – Traditional Arab Textiles & Adornments
Widad Kawar is internationally known for her work to research, collect and preserve traditional Arab handwork. With affection and passion, she has sought to encourage a cultural understanding of the Arab ethnic identity and to preserve its rich heritage with her documented collection. Widad has collected folk art for the last 45 years beginning with articles from Palestine and then also from Jordan . She has amassed an extensive collection to preserve a culture that has been dispersed by wars and conflict. Because of her great interest in the subject, she has given access to herself and her own unequaled collection of Palestinian and Jordanian costumes to researchers in this field. In continuation of this desire to welcome research, she has set up a resource center to encourage scholars, students, and any others with an interest in this heritage to come and studyat her fine library, with access to the data base of her collection, articles, photo archives, and to the costumes and accessories themselves. IWF members and their guests will be received by Widad Kawar in her home for a private viewing of the collection.
• Iraq al-Amir
Alexander the Great's conquest of the Middle East and Central Asia firmly consolidated the influence of Hellenistic culture. The most spectacular Hellenistic site in Jordan is at Iraq al-Amir, just west of Amman. The Qasr al-Abd (“Castle of the Slaves”) is constructed of very large stones and is surrounded by an artificial moat to protect a temple or palace. The castle belonged to a governor of Amman named Hyrcanus, a member of the influential Tobiad family. The site of Iraq al-Amir was excavated and restored by the French Institute of Archeology for the Near East (now IFPO). IWF members and their guests will be received by Dr. Jean-François Salles, Site Director for IFPO-Jordan and provided an overview of the excavations and explorations to date.
· Silsal
Silsal Ceramics, established in 1993 is a not for profit business, providing jobs for Jordanian artists and artisans (mostly women). Silsal's work revives the old traditional craft of pottery making, while preserving traditional and Islamic art through interpreting it onto modern functional ceramic wares. The designs and shapes borrow from the Bronze Age artifacts as well as the various Islamic periods up to contemporary times. Guests will be welcomed by Ms. Reem Habayeb, owner of Silsal, who will present Silsal's vision and work.
7:00 pm Dine-Around Launch
8:00 pm Dine-Arounds & Guest Dinner
10:30 pm Hospitality Suite – Jordanian Nights
8:30 am Plenary II - The Future of the Arab World
Young Arab Leaders (YAL), founded in 2004 by the World Economic Forum, is comprised of top Arab Leaders under 45 years of age from diverse sectors who are striving for a new and brighter future across the Arab world. Hakam Kanafani, YAL Vice Chairman of the Executive Committee notes, “Young Arab Leaders do not carry any of the baggage of the past and look to the future with hope and confidence… our young leaders, who are exposed to the best the world has to offer in terms of education and experience, will drive the change needed to grapple with the challenges that we face today and tomorrow.” Meet some of the outstanding young Arab leaders of the YAL from across the Arab world and exchange views with these vital voices of the future.
10:00 am Coffee Break
10:20 am Plenary III - Arab Women: Myths, Misperceptions & Realities
Like Islam and the Arab World, Arab Women are the subject of intense stereotyping and misperceptions by the Western World. While acknowledging the ongoing challenges facing Arab women, this session will challenge simplistic stereotypes in a look at the diversity of experiences and realities of Arab women who are meeting the challenges of modernity head-on and making impressive progress. Featuring: Dr. Katerina Dalacoura of the London School of Economics (Great Britain), expert on International Relations and the Middle East; Dr. Leila Ahmed of the Harvard Divinity School, Victor S. Thomas Professor of Divinity (Egyptian born); and H.E. Dr. Rima Khalaf Hunaidi, former Deputy Prime Minister of Jordan and Assistant Secretary-General and Director, Regional Bureau for Arab States, United Nations Development Programme.
12:00 Noon Luncheon Programme - Building Bridges – Breaking Walls – A Look to the Future
Situated in a challenging and unstable region and faced with limited resources, Jordan, under the leadership of H.M. King Abdullah II, has taken steps toward social and economic reforms aimed primarily at enhancing citizen welfare in a challenging global economy. What are the lessons of Jordan in its experience in modernization that have earned its status as a trend-setter and model of reform in the region? Featuring: H.E. Patrick Renauld, Ambassador and Head of the European Union Delegation to Jordan addressing the EU's European Neighborhood Policy – aimed at creating an area of prosperity, stability and security for the EU and its neighbors – with emphasis on development trade and education (the EU is Jordan 's main partner in terms of trade, before Saudi Arabia and the United States); Marjorie Adams, President, Adams & Associates and Advisor, The United States-Jordan Business Alliance – a network of corporate leaders advancing U.S. and Jordan business relationships by promoting the Middle East Free Trade Agreement (MEFTA); and Mrs. Dina Bahaa Hariri, Founder and Chairperson of Nour El-Hamid Charity Foundation, Lebanon.
2:00 pm Closing Ceremonies
6:30 pm A Celebration of Jordan
Enjoy dinner and a musical celebration of Jordan at the walled village of Kan Zaman (“Once Upon a Time”), a renovated 19th century fortress south of Amman. Featuring Arabic music, dancing and cuisine, and a variety of traditional handicrafts and workshops- including glass blowing and wood-carving – that also are offered at this historical site.
Post Conference Tours
Click here for Pre & Post Conference options provided by tour operator Abercrombie and Kent
* To Be Confirmed