09/12/2013
_ Twenty-two young politicians from thirteen countries of the region will analyse the state of human rights after the 'Arab Springs'
_ The aim of the Program is to promote democracy and the consolidation of human rights in the world
_ The EU's commitment to freedom in the region and the importance of parties and Constitutions for institutional strengthening will be addressed
_ They will meet Aznar, Gracia, García-Legaz and López-Istúriz, and visit the Congress of Deputies and the Casa Árabe
FAES Foundation organises from Monday 9 to Friday 13 the second edition of its Middle East and North Africa Visitor Program (the MENA region). Twenty-two young people from thirteen countries of the region will take part in it. The meetings will address the state of human rights after the so-called 'Arab Springs' and issues such as the EU's commitment to freedom and human rights in the MENA region and the importance of political parties, Constitutions and the Rule of Law for the institutional strengthening in said countries will be discussed.
The Middle East and North Africa Visitor Program is part of the activities developed by FAES for the promotion of democracy and the consolidation of human rights around the world. Participants are young politicians, economists, analysts, journalists, researchers and entrepreneurs from Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Mauritania, Syria, Sudan, Palestinian territories and Turkey.
Throughout the week, students will take part in conferences and discussions with different personalities about issues such as the EU's commitment to freedom and human rights in the Middle East and North Africa; Spain’s foreign and cooperation policy in said region; the importance of political parties, Constitutions and the Rule of Law for the institutional strengthening of the countries; the example set by the Spanish democratic Transition; and the link between economic freedom and human rights.
FREEDOM, DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS
Some of the personalities whom the students will meet are José María Aznar, President of FAES and former Prime Minister of Spain, –who has met them this morning–, Jesús Gracia, Deputy Minister for International Cooperation, Jaime García-Legaz, the Deputy Minister for Trade, and Antonio López-Istúriz, Secretary-General of the European People’s Party and the Centrist Democrat International. Participants will give their opinion on challenges faced by freedom, democracy and human rights in their countries after the so-called 'Arab Springs', and will visit institutions such as the Congress of Deputies and the Casa Árabe.
The Middle East and North Africa Visitor Program is promoted by the Human Rights Office of the Spanish Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation. Some of its aims are building and strengthening a network of partners linked to movements which demand democratic reforms, equality of opportunities and respect of human rights in countries of the Middle East and North Africa, in order to support and consolidate them.
FAES VISITOR PROGRAMS
FAES organises for the second consecutive year its Middle East and North Africa Visitor Program following the model of its already consolidated Program of Latin American Visitors, which celebrated its XII edition a few weeks ago, and in which more than 700 students from nearly all Latin America countries and the United States have taken part, aiming to learn about the Spanish political, institutional and economic system and to be trained in leadership skills.