Visiting AlUla, Madain Saleh/Hegra, Tabuk, and NEOM: Heritage, Modernity, and Hospitality

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عربی AR

An Exploration of the Northwest Region of Saudi Arabia

Traveling in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for nearly three months was a rich and beguiling experience.

Saudi Arabia is located in southwest Asia. It shares land borders with Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen; and maritime borders with Bahrain, Egypt, Eritrea, Iran, and Sudan. Saudi Arabia’s land in 95% desert. Rub’ al Khali (also known as the Empty Quarter), the world’s largest continuous sand desert, occupies its south. The Kingdom’s population is over 35 million.

Location of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on a globe

Saudi Arabia has mountains, beaches, coral reefs, grasslands, and forests. Its human history stretches back more than 7,000 years.

Saudi Arabia is the 13th largest nation in terms of land area. The United States is about five times bigger than the Kingdom. Saudi Arabia is four times the size of France, Western Europe’s largest country.

Several times in the last decade, I travelled to the then-closed Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as the Executive Vice President at the Huntsman Cancer Foundation.

In 2019, the Kingdom opened its doors and actively started encouraging tourism as part of its Vision 2030 strategic initiative. Increasing numbers of visitors are now discovering that Saudi Arabia is unexpectedly diverse. I couldn’t wait to return.

I departed New York City in the winter of 2022 for a stay in the Kingdom.

Map of Saudi Arabia

On a geological timescale, the Arabian Peninsula is young. It separated from the main African continent approximately 25 million years ago, creating the Red Sea. It is no surprise that Saudi Arabia’s desert has much in common with the Sahara. Indeed, the sands have the same orange coloration due to the presence of iron oxides.

A ten hour flight from New York’s JFK Airport landed me in Jeddah. A quick change of planes and a two-hour flight later, I reached Dammam’s King Fahd International Airport. My first destination was Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province. I wanted to visit with my friends for a few days before heading out on my adventure.

For a week, I watched the splendor of the sunrise over the Gulf on Al Aziziyah beach.

sky glowing orange as the sun rises over trees and water

The mornings never disappointed.

Setting sun and moon in the sky above palm trees and water

The evenings did not disappoint either…

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زيارة العُلا، مدائن صالح / الحِجر، تبوك، ونيوم: التراث والحداثة والضيافة

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English

استكشاف المنطقة الشمالية الغربية من المملكة العربية السعودية

كانت تجربة السفر لما يقارب ثلاثة أشهر الى المملكة العربية السعودية تجربة ساحرة وثرية ومشبعة بالتراث العميق والعريق.

تقع المملكة العربية السعودية في الجنوب الغربي من قارة آسيا. تشترك في الحدود البرية مع العراق والأردن والكويت وعُمان وقطر والإمارات العربية المتحدة واليمن; وتتشارك الحدود البحرية مع البحرين ومصر وإريتريا وإيران والسودان. 95٪ من أرض المملكة العربية السعودية صحراء (المعروف باسم الربع الخالي) أكبر صحراء رملية متواصلة في العالم وتقع جنوب المملكة العربية السعودية. يبلغ عدد سكان المملكة العربية السعودية أكثر من 35 مليون نسمة.

Location of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on a globe

تتمتع المملكة العربية السعودية بالجبال والشواطئ والشعاب المرجانية والمراعي والغابات. حيث يمتد تاريخها البشري إلى أكثر من 7000 عام.

تُعد المملكة العربية السعودية من أكبر دول الشرق الأوسط مساحة وهي تحتل المركز الثالث عشر من حيث مساحة الأرض. ولو نظرنا الى مساحة الولايات المتحدة الامريكية تُعتبر أكبر بخمس مرات من المملكة العربية السعودية. ايضاً، تُعتبر مساحة المملكة العربية السعودية أربعة أضعاف مساحه فرنسا التي تُعتبر أكبر دولة في أوروبا الغربية.

سافرت في الماضي عدة مرات إلى المملكة العربية السعودية التي كانت مغلقة آنذاك بصفتي نائب الرئيس التنفيذي في مؤسسة هانتسمان للسرطان.

في عام 2019 فتحت المملكة العربية السعودية أبوابها لتبدأ بنشاط في تشجيع السياحة كجزء من مبادرتها الإستراتيجية لرؤية 2030. تُشير الأعداد المتزايدة من الزوار إلى ان المملكة العربية السعودية اصبحت متنوعة بشكل لا يُصدق. لم اتحمل انتظار العودة.

غادرت مدينة نيويورك في شتاء عام 2022 للإقامة في المملكة.

Map of Saudi Arabia

تُعتبر شبه الجزيرة العربية حديثة العهد على النطاق الزمني الجيولوجي. فمنُذ ما يقرب من 25 مليون سنه انفصلت الجزيرة العربية عن القارة الافريقية، وأحدثت البحر الأحمر. ليس من المستغرب أن صحراء المملكة العربية السعودية تتشابه كثيراً مع الصحراء الكبرى في قارة افريقيا. فالرمال لها نفس اللون البرتقالي لاحتوائها على أكاسيد الحديد.

استغرقت رحلتي من مطار جون كنيدي بنيويورك الى مدينة جدة ما يقارب عشر ساعات وأربعون دقيقة بالطائرة. عندما وصلت كان هناك تغيير سريع للطائرات بسبب تغير خط سير الرحلة المتجهة الى مدينه الدمام وبعد ساعتين وصلت الى مطار الملك فهد بالدمام. وجهتي الاولى بالمملكة العربية السعودية كانت المنطقة الشرقية. اردت قضاء بعض الوقت للتأقلم على المنطقة الشرقية قبل الانطلاق في مغامرتي، ولمدة اسبوع شاهدت شروق الشمس المذهل على الخليج على شاطئ العزيزية.

sky glowing orange as the sun rises over trees and water

وقت الشروق مبهج.

Setting sun and moon in the sky above palm trees and water

حتى وقت الغروب مبهج ايضاً.

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Youth Leadership Development Program / Model Arab League Spring 2023 Conferences

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A listing of Youth Leadership Development Program / Model Arab League Spring 2023 Conferences is available on the program’s website.

Egyptian Business and Parliamentary Leader Mohamed Abou El Enein Joins National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations International Advisory Board

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Washington, D.C.: The National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations is pleased to announce that Egyptian business and parliamentary leader His Excellency Mohamed M. Abou El Enein has joined the National Council’s International Advisory Board. The Board provides strategic support to the Council’s Board of Directors together with its Founding President and Chief Executive Officer.

In announcing the appointment, National Council Founding President and CEO Dr. John Duke Anthony remarked, “We are honored that His Excellency Mohamed Abou El Enein has accepted our invitation to join the Council’s Advisory Board. The diversity of his successful endeavors in the commercial, public service, and philanthropic sectors serve as a testament to his future-focused analytical abilities. His Excellency is an accomplished ‘bridge builder’ who has advanced Egypt’s relationships and cooperation efforts in Africa, Europe, the United States, and beyond. He will be an extraordinarily valuable advisor and strategic conceptualizer as we work to continuously improve, strengthen, and expand the Council’s U.S.-Arab relations leadership development and cross-cultural educational efforts.”

man in suit speaks into a microphone at a podium

H.E. Mohamed M. Abou El Enein, Vice President of the Egyptian Parliament, Cleopatra Group Chairman and Founder, and Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean Honorary President, has been a featured keynote speaker at several of the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations’ Annual Policymakers Conferences in Washington, D.C.

His Excellency Mohamed Abou El Enein is a businessperson, investor, and public servant. He has served in the Egyptian Parliament since 1995 and is currently the legislature’s Vice President. He previously served as Chairman of the Housing, Public Utilities, and Construction Committee from 2000 to 2005 and Chairman of the Industry and Energy Committee from 2005 to 2011. A dedicated philanthropist, His Excellency’s charitable foundation works to improve literacy, social development, and health services in Egypt.

As the Founder and Chairman of the Cleopatra Group, one of the largest investment companies in Egypt, His Excellency has led projects and commercial ventures throughout the country. His brand Ceramica Cleopatra is one of the world’s largest producers of ceramics, porcelain, and sanitary ware, and its products are exported to over 100 countries. The Cleopatra Group also has ventures in agriculture, mining, real estate, tourism, media, technology, and aviation.

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Summer 2023 Washington, DC Internship Program

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Washington, DC Summer Internship Program

May 22 – July 28, 2023

NCUSAR Washington, DC Summer Internship Program Students

The National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations’ 2023 Washington, DC Summer Internship Program offers undergraduate and graduate students a ten-week professional, academic, and career opportunity internship with an organization in the nation’s capital. The program features a demanding mix of professional involvement, intellectual challenge, career exploration, and cross-cultural encounters designed to provide students with a rich and varied experience.

  • Professional work experience: Students are placed with one of over a dozen Near East and Arab region-related organizations with offices in Washington, D.C., where they are expected to work 35-40 hours per week under the direct supervision of their host organizations. Internships are unpaid.
  • Academic seminars: Students take part in twice-weekly seminar sessions designed to provide them with greater depth of knowledge about the Arab region, to underscore the cultural, economic, and political diversity of Arab states, and to explore the intricacies of Arab-U.S. relations. There will be a particular emphasis, though not exclusively, on Arabia and the Gulf.
  • Site visits: Students receive a behind-the-scenes look at many of the central institutions of the federal government, national security policymaking, international diplomacy, and international business.

NCUSAR Washington, DC Summer Internship Program

About the Program

The National Council’s Summer Internship Program offers professional work experiences combined with twice-weekly evening seminars that bring academic specialists and experienced foreign policy practitioners to meet with students in candid off-the-record discussions and dynamic question-and-answer sessions. Its objectives are:

  1. to provide a realistic work experience in a Washington, D.C.-based office that will provide pathways for career development;
  2. to offer interns exposure to the foreign policy analysis and advocacy processes in the nation’s capital;
  3. to incorporate a strong academic component focusing on U.S. political, economic, and cultural relations with Arabia and the Gulf region;
  4. to help participants begin the process of career networking by introducing them to working professionals in government, business, journalism, and NGOs; and,
  5. to highlight the wide range of career opportunities awaiting those who aspire to work in the field of U.S.-Arab relations, as well as to provide counseling on graduate school and fellowship application processes.

As complements to the program, interns will also be exposed to Washington, D.C., in a less formal manner via films, cultural events, embassy and museum visits, off-the-record conversations with former diplomats, group dinners, and suggestions for exploring the sights and sounds of the nation’s capital. This allows students to not only experience working in the city but also encourages them to appreciate the experience of living in a diverse urban environment, and to take advantage of the exciting cultural, educational, and recreational opportunities available in D.C.
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National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations Presents Global Leadership in Empowering Women Entrepreneurs Award to Dina Powell McCormick & Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women

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On the occasion of its 31st Annual Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference, the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations (“National Council”) announced its first-ever GLOBAL LEADERSHIP IN EMPOWERING WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS AWARD was presented to Dina Powell McCormick and Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women. The award was bestowed in recognition of their exemplary efforts in fostering shared economic growth through providing training and resources to underserved populations.

 

National Council Founding President & CEO Dr. John Duke Anthony noted that under Dina Powell McCormick’s leadership the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women Program had made extraordinary investments with the goal of empowering women in communities around the world. He commented on the ways in which the Council’s educational goals were aligned with the objectives of the 10,000 Women Program—with a particular focus of each being on educating the emerging generation of future leaders. Dr. Anthony also highlighted how tens of thousands of women in the Arab region had benefited from the 10,000 Women Program’s tools.

National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations Founding President & CEO Dr. John Duke Anthony with 10,000 Women Program graduate Reem Fawzy, President and CEO of Rimo Tours and Pink Taxi, at the 31st Annual Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference in Washington, D.C.

Traveling from Cairo, Egypt, to accept the award in-person at the conference was 10,000 Women Program graduate Reem Fawzy. The President and CEO of Rimo Tours and Pink Taxi, Reem noted how the 10,000 Women Program helped revive her tourism business and provided her a platform for further entrepreneurial endeavors.

 


 

National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations Presents Distinguished Global Developmental Assistance Award to the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development

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On the occasion of its 31st Annual Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference, the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations (“National Council”) announced its first-ever DISTINGUISHED GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTAL ASSISTANCE AWARD was presented to the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (“Kuwait Fund”). The award was bestowed in recognition of its humanitarian efforts to raise the standard of living of peoples and communities around the world.

 

National Council Founding President & CEO Dr. John Duke Anthony noted that the Kuwait Fund has been and remains a regional pioneer in international development efforts. Since its establishment in 1961, the Kuwait Fund has remarkably supported the financing of more than 1,000 projects in 105 developing countries by providing approximately $22 billion. Dr. Anthony highlighted how the Kuwait Fund’s work included making possible development projects for agriculture and irrigation, transport and communications, energy, industry, water, and sewage. Its reach was extended outside of the Middle East in 1974 to include Africa; the Pacific and South, East, and Central Asia; Europe; Latin America; and the Caribbean.

H.E. Marwan A. Al-Ghanem, Director General of the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, makes remarks upon accepting on behalf of the Kuwait Fund the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations’ Distinguished Global Developmental Assistance Award presented at the 31st Annual Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference in Washington, D.C.

The award was accepted by the Director General of the Kuwait Fund H.E. Marwan A. Al-Ghanem. His Excellency the Director General was joined by the Ambassador of Kuwait to the United States H.E. Jasem Albudaiwi.

 


 

Lebanon in Focus [2022 Arab-US Policymakers Conference]

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The 31st Annual Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference, Arab-U.S. Uncertainties: What Lies Ahead?, convened at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C., on November 2-3, 2022. These are some of the conference proceedings.

 

 
“Lebanon in Focus”

Featuring:

Colonel (Ret.) Abbas Dahouk – National Council Board of Directors Member; former Senior Military Advisor to U.S. Department of State; former U.S. Defense and Army Attach´ to Saudi Arabia; HyphenPoint LLC Founding Principal.

Ambassador (Ret.) Edward Gabriel – American Task Force on Lebanon President and CEO; former United States Ambassador to Morocco (1997-2001).

The Annual Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference is the signature annual symposium organized and administered by the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations.