International Relations Office

Modern Languages and Literatures

NCCAR 2004 National Conference

13 November 2004 - Calgary (AB)

Rosza Centre, University of Calgary

20 November 2004 - Ottawa (ON)
Montpetit Hall, University of Ottawa

Canada and the Arab World:
Challenges and Opportunities

REGISTER TO ATTEND

The National Council on Canada-Arab Relations (NCCAR) is pleased to announce a national conference, funded by Foreign Affairs Canada (FAC) and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), to be held in both Calgary (University of Calgary) and Ottawa (University of Ottawa) discussing how best to strengthen Canada-Arab relations.

This conference seeks to emphasize the benefits for both Canada and countries of the Arab world in increasing political, economic and cultural cooperation. Through this conference, NCCAR seeks to highlight the need for a strong commitment on the part of both the Canadian government and the Arab-Canadian community to ensure the development of a foreign policy strategy that highlights the opportunities, challenges and future prospects of Canadian foreign policy vis-à-vis Arab countries.

The conference will bring together academics, researchers, and students interested in issues relevant to Canadian-Arab cooperation and relations. The contributions of Canadian youth, community organizations, academics, and citizens in the conference will be the basis for the development of NCCAR’s policy recommendations dealing with the role of Canada towards the Arab world to be presented to Foreign Affairs Canada.

In addition to specialized workshops, there will be keynote speakers (one in each city) who have been invited to the conference by NCCAR. These workshop sessions will then be followed by a roundtable discussion session from which conclusions will be drawn and drafted into the policy recommendations.

To attend either of these conferences, please complete the registration form below, stating which conference you would like to attend. Registrants will be entitled to attend all workshops and the keynote lecture, in addition to breakfast and lunch.

Registration is required for all conference attendees. Please complete the registration form and either mail it or fax it back to NCCAR.

Registration to attend deadline (Calgary): November 11, 2004

Registration to attend deadline (Ottawa): November 18, 2004

The National Council on Canada-Arab Relations (NCCAR) is pleased to announce a national conference, funded by Foreign Affairs Canada (FAC) and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC). The conference is divided in two wings, with the first being held in Calgary (University of Calgary) on November 13, 2004 and the second being held in Ottawa (University of Ottawa) on November 20, 2004. Both conferences will focus on discussing how best to strengthen Canada-Arab relations on several issues.

The conference will include workshop sessions, a keynote lecture and a closing roundtable discussion. The workshop presentations by key researches will be on following themes:

Canadian-Arab business and economic cooperation
Canadian-Arab political relations
Canadian-Arab social and cultural ties
The position and role of the Canadian Arab community

If you wish to attend either of these conferences, please complete the registration form found on our website and return it to NCCAR via email or fax. Registrants will be entitled to attend all workshops and the keynote lecture, in addition to breakfast and lunch. Register ASAP since space is limited.

Registration
Businesses:                $80
Individual/Faculty:     $10
Students:                   Free

At the door (non-registrants)
Individual/Faculty:     $20
Students:                    $10
 

To register send your completed registration form and payment to the NCCAR office at the address above along with your paper abstract. Please make your cheque payable to “NCCAR” or “National Council on Canada-Arab Relations”. Registration payment can also be paid for at the event itself.

Click here for the registration form (PDF format).

CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

Calgary, Alberta
Saturday, November 13, 2004

Rosza Centre
206, University Court N.W.
University of Calgary

Co-sponsored by
International Relations Office, University of Calgary
 

Registration/Breakfast	9:00 – 9:30
Opening Address – Mazen Chouaib, Executive Director, NCCAR	9:30 – 10:00
Workshop Session #1 Expanding Canadian-Arab Business and Economic Cooperation ·        Enhancing Two-Way Trade and Investment Between Canada and the Arab World – Dwain Lingenfelter, Chairman, Canadian-Arab Business Council (CABC) ·        Canada's Commercial and Economic Relations with the Arab World  – Patrice Veilleux, Deputy Director (Trade), Middle East Division, Foreign Affairs Canada Facilitator: Waleed Jazrawi, Ph.D., P.Eng., Jazrawi & Associates Inc.	10:00 – 11:15
Workshop Session #2 The Role of the Arab community in Canada ·        Canada’s Growing Arab Community: Potential for Influencing Foreign Policy – Richard Awid, Researcher and Author (Edmonton) ·        Canadian Political Process: The Role of the Arab Immigrant Community – Raja Khouri, Former President, Canadian Arab Federation (CAF) and author of Arabs in Canada: Post 9/11 ·        Arab Canadians and Canadian Film and Media Culture – Malek Khouri, Professor, Coordinator, Film Studies Program, Faculty of Communication and Culture (University of Calgary) Facilitator: Hussein K. Amery, Ph.D., Director, Muslim Council of Calgary and Special Advisor, NCCAR	11:15 – 12:30
Lunch	12:30 – 13:30
Workshop Session #3 Addressing Canada’s Foreign Policy Issues in the Arab World ·        The Evolving Canadian Role in the Middle East – George Irani, Professor, Peace and Conflict Studies (Royal Roads University) ·        CIDA’s Programs in the Middle East and North Africa – Keith Chang, Director-General, Middle East and Northern Africa Division, CIDA ·        Critiquing Canada’s Foreign Policy on the Arab World – Mazen Chouaib, Executive Director, NCCAR Facilitator: Tarek Ismael, Professor, Political Science (University of Calgary)	13:30 – 14:45
Keynote Lecture Hatim Zaghloul, Ph.D., Chairman of the MCC and CEO and co-founder of Wi-LAN Inc.	14:45 – 16:00
Closed Roundtable discussion/recommendations	16:00 – 16:45

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Ottawa, Ontario
Saturday, November 20, 2004

Montpetit Hall
125 University Avenue
University of Ottawa

Co-sponsored by
Department of Modern Languages & Literatures, University of Ottawa