Monthly Archives: January 2013

Program in Arabic Language at the Yemen College of Middle Eastern Studies

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The National Council is proud to serve as the American Main Office for the Yemen College of Middle Eastern Studies (YCMES), whose campus is centrally located in Sana’a, the capital of the Republic of Yemen. YCMES is a fully accredited, non-profit college that provides students and scholars from around the world the opportunity to develop a complex knowledge of the Arabic language and the contemporary Middle East. Students can study at YCMES for 5, 10, or 15 weeks, or more — programs are tailored to meet students’ needs.

Sana’a, Yemen is an ideal location for language acquisition and cultural immersion. Unlike many other Middle Eastern cities where English and/or French are pervasive, Sana’a is one of the few remaining places in the world where Arabic is spoken exclusively. In short, it is nearly impossible to remain isolated in a Western bubble.

The Program in Arabic Language (PAL), the Arabic language department within the YCMES, was the first private institution in Yemen dedicated exclusively to teaching Arabic as a foreign language. The PAL has served the needs of international students, researchers, and the resident expatriate community since 1989. The YCMES’ Arabic Language Learning Program is open to international students of all ability levels, with program lengths from five weeks to a full calendar year.

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Gulf in the News – January 23, 2013

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UAE Council applauds first female Speaker

Source: The National (Read full story)

At 9am yesterday, Dr Amal Al Qubaisi became the first woman to take the chair as Speaker of the FNC. It was, the member from Abu Dhabi said, a “dream come true”. “I am lucky,” said Dr Al Qubaisi, who has been a deputy speaker since 2011 but has never before had to step into Mohammed Al Murr’s shoes. But yesterday Mr Al Murr was unable to attend and she finally had her chance in what she described as a significant moment for Emirati women.  “With the support that the leaders give, an Emirati woman is now able to reach and prove herself in any field,” Dr Al Qubaisi said.

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Dr. John Duke Anthony at the Middle East Policy Council’s 71st Capitol Hill Conference

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Available below are remarks from Dr. John Duke Anthony, Founding President and CEO of the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations, at the Middle East Policy Council’s 71st Capitol Hill Conference, January 16, 2013, on “U.S. Grand Strategy in the Middle East: Is there One?” Full video of the event as well as an unedited transcript are available at www.mepc.org.

Gulf in the News – January 18, 2013

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Yemen seeks to talk its way out of chaos

Source: Gulf News (Read full story)

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Perhaps the greatest of all problems facing Yemen is the clashing identities of different parts of the country. Aden and the South — shaped by the British presence from 1839 until 1967 and then by two decades of Marxist rule — were greatly disillusioned by union with the north in 1990. In 1994, the South tried to break loose but was defeated. Today, a powerful southern movement known as Al Hirak, embittered by the corruption, land grabs and aggression of northern tribes, is campaigning for autonomy or even outright secession.

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Summer Intensive Language Program at The Arab-American Language Institute in Morocco

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The National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations, in collaboration with The Arab-American Language Institute in Morocco (AALIM) for the summer of 2013, is pleased to announce its Summer Language program in the Kingdom of Morocco. Students will spend six weeks in historic Meknes, Morocco taking part in an intensive Arabic language program. Students at all levels of Arabic proficiency are encouraged to apply.

Students will spend four (4) hours each weekday in formal Modern Standard Arabic classes, as well as complete out-of-the-classroom assignments. The AALIM center is host to a community of Arabic learners throughout the summer, providing for a fully immersive program. Students may choose to take an additional three (3) hours of Moroccan darijadialect classes.

Those selected will also gain direct personal experience in Moroccan culture, history, and society through a variety of day excursions, local outings, workshops and demonstrations. Meknes is an ideal setting for students to focus on learning Arabic while exploring ancient and modern Morocco. The main AALIM center is located inside the traditional walled old city, called the Medina, an area which features heavily in the Western popular imagination of Morocco. Meknes is also a thriving modern metropolis of over one million residents. The AALIM center is just a short walk from the bustling town center in the New City.

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Gulf in the News – January 16, 2013

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UAE leads chorus for more clean energy investments

Source: Khaleej Times (Read full story)

The United Arab Emirates, despite being a leading fossil fuel producer, is committed to global energy security with investments in clean and renewable sources, said General Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces. In his inaugural speech at the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2013, the World Future Energy Summit and the International Water Summit in the presence of His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Gen. Shaikh Mohammed said the conferences and meetings of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week would be successful in achieving the goals.

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NCUSAR’s Summer 2013 Washington, DC Summer Internship Program – Applications Due March 1

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Special Opportunity for Students:

The National Council Fellowships:
Washington, DC Summer Internship Program

June 3, 2013 – August 9, 2013

The National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations’ Washington, DC Summer Internship Program offers undergraduate and graduate students a ten-week professional, academic, and career opportunity internship in the nation’s capital. The program features a demanding mix of professional involvement, intellectual challenge, career exploration, and cultural encounters designed to provide interns with a rich and varied experience during their time in Washington.

  • Professional workplace experience: Interns are placed with one of over a dozen Near East and Arab world-related organizations in Washington, D.C., where they are expected to work 35-40 hours/week under the direct supervision of their host organizations.
  • Academic seminars: Interns take part in twice weekly seminar sessions designed to provide them with greater depth of knowledge about the Arab world, to underscore the cultural, economic, and political diversity of Arab states, and to explore the intricacies of Arab-U.S. relations.
  • Site visits: Interns receive a behind-the-scenes look at many of the central institutions of federal government, national security policymaking, international diplomacy, and international business.

Sponsorship: The program is administered by National Council professionals and staff, together with more than two dozen of America’s foremost scholars and leading foreign affairs practitioners. The programs, activities, and functions represented by the organizations and corporations that provide the professional work experience component of the program are varied. Included among placements in recent years have been educational development and exchange organizations, bimonthly and quarterly publications, humanitarian relief groups, broadcasting networks, area studies centers, international transportation companies, foreign trade associations, peace and justice advocacy groups, and a variety of non-governmental organizations.

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Gulf in the News – January 14, 2012

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New Details on Social Media in Saudi Arabia

Source: SUSRIS (Read full story)

Information today is ubiquitous, said US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia James Smith at the Arab-US Policymakers Conference in October. He was talking about the influence a government may have, “You cannot control the message any longer.. ..So the real question of the day: does the United States, and do the governments of the region have the necessary tools to be successful in an age of influence?”

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