United States Agency for Global Media

Alhurra television and USIP host a conference in Tunisia on human dignity

September 27, 2018

Alhurra Television is organizing a conference in Tunisia on the state and future of human dignity in the Middle East and North Africa, in partnership with the United States Institute of Peace (USIP). The conference will discuss this concept as it relates to conflict prevention. It takes place on September 28^th at the USIP hub in Tunis.

The conference entitled al-Karama al-Insaniyya, (Arabic for “Human Dignity”) explores how political and religious ideologies affect this notion and the different ways to promote it. A first for the channel, the conference incorporates the voices of  Alhurra.com op-ed authors, who are noted and outspoken intellectuals and human rights activists from across the Middle East and the U.S. The contributors include Jordanian journalist Malik al-Athamneh, Lebanese professor Mona Fayyad, Sudanese expert on Islamic movements Babikir Faysal Babikir, and Moroccan author Sanaa al-Aji.

“We hope that al-Karama al-Insaniyya will be first of many conferences that will expand the spectrum of ideas in the region,” Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN) President Amb. Alberto Fernandez said. MBN manages and oversees Alhurra Television. “We are excited about our partnership with the USIP which will display our shared values, and amplify moderate voices which are not mainstreamed.”

“The conference convenes experts from the region to discuss and explore the role of human dignity and its interplay with institutions and societies in the MENA region,” said the United States Institute of Peace’s Executive Vice President William B. Taylor. “We are especially glad to be working with the MBN under the leadership of Alberto Fernandez in partnership for this conference  that will shed light on alternative narratives amid a wider discourse often focused on the rhetoric of religious extremism, economics, national security, democracy, and politics.”

The first part of the one-day conference will be a private session with 20 participants working in small groups discussing issues related to human dignity and the need to streamline discussion in the region. Following this session, a representative from each group will present their findings in an open meeting with the public. The keynote speaker will be Wail Kheir, Managing Director of the Foundation for Human and Humanitarian Rights in Lebanon.

The United States Institute of Peace is an independent national institute, founded by Congress and dedicated to the proposition that a world without violent conflict is possible, practical, and essential for U.S. and global security. USIP pursues this vision on the ground in conflict zones, working with local partners. The Institute provides training, analysis, and other resources to people, organizations, and governments working to build peace.

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