This House believes that progress towards democracy has halted in the Arab world
Tuesday September 16 2008
MOTION PASSED
by 64% to 36%
Speakers
Amr Hamzawy
Speaking for the motion
Dr. Amr Hamzawy is an Egyptian political scientist and Senior Associate at the Carnegie International Endowment for Peace in the United States. His work focuses on Middle East politics, with special emphasis on democracy and the reform process in the region. He has also examined the changing dynamics of political participation in the Arab world and the role of Islamist movements in Arab politics.
Dr. Hamzawy regularly contributes articles in Arabic to academic journals and writes frequently for the leading Arab daily Al Hayat and the Egyptian independent daily Al Masry al Youm.
He has co-authored papers including The New Middle East and Egypt – don't give up on democracy promotion and has taught both at Cairo University and the Free University in Berlin.
Salah Al-Shaikhly
Speaking against the motion
Dr. Salah Al-Shaikhly served as Iraqi Ambassador to the UK and the Republic of Ireland from July 2004 to December 2007. He is currently Chairman of North Oil Services Holdings Limited.
In the 60s he began his career in public life in Iraq and became involved in opposition politics 30 years later when he helped form the Iraqi National Accord.
He has also served as Assistant Secretary General at the United Nations in New York and in 1987 began a four-year stint as Regional Adviser for the Entrepreneurship Development Program for Africa.
Dr. Al-Shaikhly earned a B.Sc. M.Sc. and PhD at Manchester University and has lectured at a number of British institutions including the London School of Economics, Oxford University and Leeds University.
Mustafa Hamarneh
Speaking for the motion
Dr. Mustafa Hamarneh is currently director and CEO of the media company Al Mada which publishes Al Sijill newspaper. He worked at the Jordanian Centre for Strategic Studies (CSS) for 15 years as researcher and director, setting up public opinion polling on democracy, reform and integration in Jordan and the wider Middle East.
In 1997 Dr. Hamarneh was elected chairman of the Arab Reform Initiative, a consortium of policy research centres in the Arab world. With partners in Europe and the United States, the consortium aims to boost democratic reform among Arab states.
A historian by training, Dr. Hamarneh received his PhD in History from Georgetown University where he went on to serve as adjunct professor. Since then he has held numerous positions including chairman of the board of directors of Jordan Radio and Television from 2004–2006.
May Chidiac
Speaking against the motion
May Chidiac is a well-known journalist and television presenter, hosting the weekly political programme, Bikol Joraa, on Lebanon's LBC channel.
In September 2005 she was the victim of a car bomb attack north of Beirut, which led to the amputation of her left leg and one of her hands. After numerous operations and several months of rehabilitation outside the country, she returned to Lebanon in July 2006.
A year later she published her autobiography, Le Ciel m'attendra ('The Sky Will Wait For Me').
Ms. Chidiac is the recipient of several awards including the 2006 UNESCO/ Guillermo Cano World Freedom Prize in recognition of her courage in defending and promoting freedom of the press; the 2006 International Women's Media Foundation Courage in Journalism Award; and the Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur in 2007, presented by former French President Jacques Chirac.
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