One Arab World

10% can go a long way. We want to make it go even further.

As the next step towards what it is we want to accomplish here at One Arab World we are founding an “Act Tank” in Cairo. In an obvious sense of the term this Act Tank will act as both a think tank and a grass roots activism organization combined. We are going to first determine the problems we face, figure the most effective way to counter the problem; how best to approach a solution within the means we have, then actually go out and implement; hands dirty.

One of the companies I founded and chair has graciously agreed to direct 10% of all its net proceeds towards our Act Tank.

We’ve got several projects on our roster ; each person on our committee (5) has a baby. Here is mine.

I am one of few that believe that Egypt’s largest problems aren’t governmentally related; not even religious. In one of our debates here the question of Islamic reformation was met by a very interesting reply. “It is not Islam that needs reformation, it is Muslims that need reformation.”

I found that very interesting and I took it and applied it to our other notorious sectors. Politics, business, development…ect.

How far we can get on what we have is more important than how much more we can get.

So here it is.

I believe that one of, not Egypt’s, but Egyptians worst setbacks is a phenomenal increase in intolerance. I am fairly young but I am certainly old enough to see that phenomena grow. Christians, the white man in general, Shia/Sunni, gulf Arabs,…..ect. and of course… The Jew.

It’s bad for morality, business, and growth and it’s got to end. Here is what we are going to do; and as with any good plan it is simple as hell.

Analysis; It is easy to demonize something or someone you’ve never met (There are reportedly 38 Egyptian Jews left in Egypt and while I cant back this up with real statistics I would bet my life that not more than 1% of Egyptians have ever actually met a Jew). Solution; Met some Jews.

Implementation;

Step One, “Meet your Cousin”: Fly some Jews in from around the world (maybe five or six), hold a two day conference at a university, pack the hall with a bunch of curious Egyptian students, have the guests tell everyone about their lives, what they do, their political inclinations, their families, their beliefs, and so on, Q&A then refreshments.

I just got off the phone with a good friend of mine that was on my Thesis Committee (A 75 Year Urban City Plan for Jerusalem). He is the Rabbi of the third oldest congregation in America. He liked the idea a lot and is not only willing to help but thinking of coming himself. If anyone else would like to come or help shoot me an email.

Step Two, “The Pioneer Program”: Following in the footsteps of a very courageous idea, we are going to begin funding the temporary swap of Arab and Israeli bloggers… Let me explain. Rabbi Belzer is the founder and vp of an organization in Ireland that brings Palestinians and Israelis together to develop understanding… a beautiful objective.

This is like that on steroids. We are going to send Arab bloggers to Israel and Israeli bloggers to Arab countries to blog. When you do that you don’t just send the blogger ; you send his or her entire readership. Same amount of money, much bigger impact. I think we can fund a trip a month once we get started.

We are aiming to start before the end of the year (founding a NGO in Egypt is a ton of fun) but if you are interested start emailing us. For the bloggers thing we are going to be looking very heavily at stats.

If we don’t make an effort we are going to keep tightening the constraints on what it means to be us till there is no one left but you and your brother… not even your cousin.

I do have a couple in mind already though ;)

- Karim Elsahy

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I typically dread getting CNN Alerts. This was a good one though. Bravo to Curt Hopkins for his efforts to start a bloggers campaign for her. Read about her release here.

Very interesting. In a world with a higher reality of ideology and religiosity than most would assume or would probably like to admit, this may very well be just what we need. The UN was spawned from WW2. One lesson we may have learned is that it is not always necessary to wait until after the event to put in place measures to resist a lapse. Is the next one not looming and will not religion will be at its core?

Pre-emptive Peace. Nice.

Rabbi Metzger was addressing the International Congress of Imams and Rabbis for Peace in Seville, Spain.

How did I never hear of this?

Read the whole article here and let me know what you think; to UN or no UN.

-Karim Elsahy

Jill Carroll, a freelance reporter working for the Christian Science Monitor newspaper, was kidnapped in Baghdad over two months ago. All indications are that she is still alive. The Monitor has started a campaign, using Iraqi television, to distribute a video asking for Iraqis to help find and free Jill.

Jill is not a blogger but she's got that spirit. She's an independent intellect who is fascinated by the world and has a desire to speak what she sees. So let's not leave it up to the newspapers and television stations. She's ours as much as theirs.

So, I would like to ask every blogger who gives a damn about individual human life and the individual human voice, to post a link to this video on their blog, to blog about Jill and to pass along our concern to friends, family and other bloggers. Of greatest import are Iraqi blogs and blogs in the Arabic and Muslim worlds that may be read by people in a position to do good for Jill.

Here's a link to the Jill Carroll video.

Let's tag these posts "blogjill."

- CURT HOPKINS

As a student of history I know we are going to fail. We may make small differences and we may say those small differences made a big difference to some. None the less we are going to fail our bigger picture. Things are still going to get much worse before they get any better. Islam / West, Israel  / Palestine, Poverty / Education…all of it. Nothing is really going to change; it never has. The vast majority of history alludes to hard times. From the looks of things we are defiantly not going to be an exception.

All we can do is let the small things justify our time spent towards the bigger ones and remain “Naively Constructive”. A good example:

The two mothers on tour are Nonie Darwish. an Egyptian who grew up in Gaza and moved to the U.S. over 25 years ago, and Miri Eisen, a recently retired colonel in the Israeli Defense Forces, where she worked for 20 years in Army Intelligence. Each woman is the mother of three.

Dear Readers:

Right now, President Bush is making critical decisions about our budget and how America will keep our historic promises to fight AIDS and poverty. As ONE, we can make the difference-but we need your help.

Email President Bush today and ask him to keep the promise and fully fund the fight against AIDS and extreme poverty.

When you take the time to send just one email, you help show the world that Americans are committed to keeping our life-saving promises to put children in school, fight AIDS and save lives. For only one more penny of every dollar of the U.S. budget, America could transform the hopes of an entire generation in the world's poorest countries.

Please email President Bush today and be the one that makes the difference.

If we keep the promise, America could help save over 4.5 million lives a year by 2010. All we need is your voice.

Thank you,

The ONE Team