Tuesday, July 15, 2008. The Center for International Media Assistance at the National Endowment for Democracy
Launch of CIMA’s inaugural, comprehensive report
Empowering independent media:
U.S. Efforts to Foster Free and Independent News Around the World
Honorary Co-Hosts
The Honorable Richard Lugar The Honorable Christopher Dodd
The Honorable Adam Schiff The Honorable Mike Pence
Congressional Caucus for the Freedom of the Press Co-Chairs
Panel discussion: 4:30-6:00 p.m. Russell Senate Office Building, Room 385* Reception: 6:00-7:00 p.m. Reception location to be announced
RSVP to CIMA@ned.org (acceptances only)
Introduction Carl Gershman
President, National Endowment for Democracy
Speakers The Honorable Richard Lugar
U.S. Senate, Indiana
The Honorable Adam Schiff
U.S. House of Representatives, 29th District, California
The Honorable David J. Kramer
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, U.S. Department of State
Panel Marguerite H. Sullivan
Senior Director, Center for International Media Assistance,
National Endowment for Democracy
David E. Kaplan
Managing Editor, Principal Writer of
Empowering Independent Media: U.S. Efforts to Foster Free and Independent News Around the World
Ellen Hume
Research Director, Center for Future Civic Media, MIT
Kurt Wimmer
Senior Vice President, General Counsel, Gannett Co., Inc.
CIMA’s inaugural, comprehensive report, Empowering Independent Media: U.S. Efforts to Foster Free and Independent News Around the World, provides an in-depth assessment of media development efforts funded by the U.S. government and U.S.-based private donors. It examines the field of U.S. international media assistance through eight perspectives: funding, professional development, education, the legal-enabling environment, economic sustainability, media literacy, new media, and monitoring and evaluation. The report recognizes the impact of independent media on areas critical for democratic development, such as government accountability, economic growth, health issues, and the empowerment of women and minorities, and makes a number of recommendations for future media development efforts. Empowering Independent Media is the culmination of CIMA’s work since its inception in late 2006, and draws upon CIMA’s reports, working groups, and meetings, as well as additional research.
*Directions: The closest Metro station to the event is Union Station on the red line. Enter the Russell Building through the Constitution Ave. and 1st St. entrance. The room is on the third floor. From the elevator, turn right, and SR-385 is on the right side.
Thursday, July 17, 2008. 12:00 noon–2:00 p.m.
Why Is Pakistan not a Democracy?
S. Akbar Zaidi, Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow
with comments by
Stephen P. Cohen
Brookings Institution
(Lunch served 12:00–12:30 pm) 1025 F. Street, N.W., Suite 800, Washington, DC 20004
Tel.: 202-378-9675
RSVP (acceptances only) with name and affiliation by Tuesday, July 15
by email to fellowsrsvp@ned.org
While it is widely recognized that the February 18 Pakistani elections were the most free and fair in some decades, questions remain as to why Pakistan’s democracy has failed to take root and prosper, despite its many elections. Established, active political parties and a nascent, vibrant, civil society have been at the vanguard of the process of democratization and free elections in recent years, yet they face serious constraints in achieving democratic consolidation in the country. Islamic fundamentalism and talibanization, as well as a military with little incentive to relinquish power have ensured that the transition to democracy has been complex, contradictory, and slow. In his presentation, renowned academic Mr. S. Akbar Zaidi will examine the domestic and international influences that help and hinder Pakistan’s move to becoming a democratic country. His presentation will be followed by comments by Dr. Stephen P. Cohen.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Voices from Zimbabwe: Which political solution do Zimbabwean citizens favor?
3:00 – 4:30 p.m. 1800 Massachusetts Ave, NW (SEIU building) Washington, DC
Zimbabwe’s opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) is calling for support in establishing a “transitional government” that can ensure conditions for a free and fair election. Thabo Mbeki, South African President and chief mediator appointed by the Southern African Development Community (SADC), is pressing for a “government of national unity.” The ruling Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) and MDC began preliminary talks last week, but their positions so far appear irreconcilable. As the politicians debate, Freedom House asks: What do the Zimbabwean people want?
Discussion with Zimbabwean civil society activists on which political solutions would most benefit the country’s people.
Participants from Johannesburg, South Africa, via video conference link will include:
Rindai Chipfunde-Vava, Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN), National Director – to be confirmed. ZESN is a network of 38 organizations specialized in election monitoring that conducted Parallel Vote Tabulation during the March 29 elections
Gorden Moyo, Bulawayo Agenda, Executive Director. Bulawayo Agenda is a Zimbabwean civic group devoted to the promotion of debate, discussion and dialogue.
Jestina Mukoko, Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP), Executive Director. ZPP is an organization focused on documenting acts of political violence and human rights abuses.
Earnest Mudzengi, National Constitutional Assembly (NCA), National Coordinator. NCA is an organization working towards a new, democratic and people-driven constitution.
Otto Saki, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) – to be confirmed. ZLHR is a membership-based organization of lawyers and law students in Zimbabwe that encourages the growth and strengthening of internationally-observed human rights in Zimbabwe.
Takura Zhangazha, Media Institute of Southern Africa in Zimbabwe (MISA), Director. MISA is a media policy and development organization which established the first independent media center in Harare.
RSVP to Elena Postnikova at Postnikova@freedomhouse.org or 202-747-7038
Monday, July 21, 2008
The International Forum for Democratic Studies and the Journal of Democracy at the National Endowment for Democracy invites you to a discussion based on a symposium appearing in the July 2008 Journal of Democracy on
Islamist Parties and Democracy
featuring
Hillel Fradkin, Amr Hamzawy,
Laith Kubba, and Tamara Cofman Wittes
moderated by
Marc F. Plattner
followed by a reception celebrating the publication of
the July 2008 issue of the Journal of Democracy
and
Freedom’s Unsteady March: America’s Role in Building Arab Democracy by Tamara Cofman Wittes
Discussion: 4:30–6:00 p.m., Reception: 6:00–7:30p.m.
National Endowment for Democracy
1025 F. Street, N.W., Suite 800, Washington, D.C.
202.378.9675
RSVP (acceptances only) with name and affiliation by Friday, July 18
by email to forum@ned.org.
In response to the growing strength of Islamist parties, the longstanding debate surrounding Islam and democracy is increasingly shifting its focus from theoretical issues to more immediate policy concerns. In the forthcoming July 2008 Journal of Democracy, a number of distinguished Middle East experts have written short essays offering their views of these parties. While no clear consensus emerges from these essays, they highlight the key points of controversy in assessing the implications of the rise of Islamist parties for the future of democracy in the region. The panel features four of the contributors to this Journal of Democracy symposium.
Hillel Fradkin is a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and director of its Center on Islam, Democracy, and the Future of the Muslim World.
Amr Hamzawy is a senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and a professor of political science at Cairo University.
Laith Kubba, a native of Baghdad, is senior director for the Middle East and North Africa at the National Endowment for Democracy. From May 2005 to March 2006, he was chief press spokesperson for Iraq’s Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaffari.
Tamara Cofman Wittes is a senior fellow and director of the Project on Middle East Democracy and Development in the Brookings Institution’s Saban Center for Middle East Policy.
Marc F. Plattner (moderator) is coeditor of the Journal of Democracy, co-director of the International Forum for Democratic Studies, and vice-president at the National Endowment for Democracy.
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