Welcome to NCCAR

	PROGRAMS
	Speakers Bureau • Event • Backgrounder • Registration
	International Internship
	Parliamentary Internship
	Cultural Program

Speakers' Bureau

Ziad Abdel Samad

Roundtable Lunch
with the
Canadian International Development Association and
Foreign Affairs Canada

February 14, 2005 - Ottawa, ON @ 12:00 - 1:30 PM
Room 501 - CIDA
200 Promenade du Portage, Gatineau, QC

Organized by:
National Council on Canada-Arab Relations (NCCAR)

EVENT

(version en français suivra)

You are cordially invited to participate in a Roundtable Discussion on the Role of Civil Society in Reform and Democracy in the Arab World, with visiting guest speaker Mr. Ziad Abdel Samad, Executive Director of the Arab NGO Network for Development based in Beirut.

The Roundtable will be held on Monday February 14, 2005 from 12:00 to 13:30 in room 501 at CIDA.

Mr. Abdel Samad will speak about the role of Arab civil society groups, such as the Arab NGO Network for Development (www.annd.org), in promoting democratic reforms in countries of the Arab World, as well as the potential for strengthening partnerships with Canada to achieve this goal. A brief biography is found below.

The discussion will be chaired by Keith Chang, Director General, North Africa and Middle East Division at CIDA. A light lunch will be served.

Seating is limited so please confirm your attendance by Friday February 11th at 19:00 at the latest.

*************************************************

Vous êtes cordialement invités à participer à une table-ronde sur le rôle de la société civile en appui aux réformes et à la démocratie dans le monde arabe, avec notre invité, M. Ziad Abdel Samad, Directeur exécutif du Réseau des ONG arabes pour le développement, basé à Beyrouth.

La discussion aura lieu lundi le 14 février 2005, de 12:00 à 13:30 dans la salle 501 à l'ACDI.

M. Abdel Samad discutera du rôle des organisations de la société civile arabe, tel que le Réseau des ONG arabes pour le développement (www.annd.org ), dans la promotion des réformes démocratiques dans les pays du monde arabe, ainsi que du potentiel de renforcement des partenariats avec le Canada dans ce but. La visite de M. Abdel Samad au Canada est organisée par le Conseil national des relations Canado-arabes. Une brève biographie de M. Abdel Samad est incluse ci-dessous.

La discussion sera présidée par Keith Chang, Directeur général, Division de l'Afrique du nord et Moyen-Orient à ACDI. Un léger dîner sera servi.

Les places étant limitées, prière de confirmer votre présence avant vendredi le 11 février à 9:00 au plus tard.

Purpose

To develop a good working relationship between Arab civil society groups, such as the Arab NGOs Network (ANND), and similar groups in Canada. Also to discuss the activities being promoted by ANND, and exploring how Canada – through international development initiatives or international political initiatives for democratic reforms – can encourage democratic reforms in countries of the Arab world.

Subject

Priorities for Reform and Democracy in the Arab World through Civil Society Initiatives

The talk will focus on discussing the important role of civil society in the Arab world in promoting democratic reforms. Focus will be places on the need to raise awareness and to help in building the capacities of this sector of society through research, networking, and campaigning on issues of development, democracy and trade. This will be presented in relation to the mission of the ANND, which envisions democratic, active, and effective civil societies in the Arab region.

BACKGROUNDER

Ziad Abdel Samad (Lebanon), Executive Director, Arab NGO Network for Development (ANND). Email: annd@annd.org. Website: www.annd.org

Ziad Abdel Samad is the Executive Director of the Arab NGO Network for Development (ANND), based in Beirut, since 1999. ANND brings together 30 NGOs and nine national networks from 12 Arab countries active in the fields of social development, human rights, gender, and the environment. The network, established in 1997, focuses on developing the capacity of Arab civil society organizations and promoting democracy, human rights, participation and good governance in civil society and among governments. It has been an active participant in a number of United Nations conferences, WTO negotiations and the World Social Forum.

Mr. Abdel Samad is a member of the Lebanese Negotiating Committee for the accession in the WTO. He sits on the International Council of the World Social Forum and the Coordination Committee of Social Watch, an international network of citizen coalitions that monitors the implementation of the commitments made at the 1995 World Summit on Social Development in Copenhagen. Mr. Abdel Samad is a member of the Board of Directors of CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation. He is a member of the UNDP CSO Advisory Committee to the Administrator.

Mr. Abdel Samad is also currently the President of the National Steering Committee of the UNDP Local Initiative Facility for Urban Environment (LIFE) program in Lebanon and General Manager of the Centre for Developmental Studies (MADA), a Lebanese centre for social and economic studies and research.

REGISTRATION

To attend, you must confirm your attendance by Friday February 11th at 7pm to:

Marie-Claude Grenon
Senior Program Officer
Africa and Middle East Branch, CIDA
819-997-6267 | Fax: 819-994-0251
marieclaude_grenon@acdi-cida.gc.ca

Essam Farag
Special Projects Coordinator
NCCAR
613-238-3795 | Fax: 613-235-9185
essamfarag@nccar.ca

If you have any questions about this guest visit, please contact Essam Farag at 613-238-3795 or essamfarag@nccar.ca

******