Four-year, $20.0 Million Project to Improve Educational Access,
Youth Development Opportunities in the West Bank

Washington, DC, April 16, 2013 — AMIDEAST is pleased to announce that the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has selected it to implement a four-year initiative that will provide support for 50 Palestinian public and private schools. The School Improvement Program (SIP) will focus on strengthening leadership, teaching quality, and community engagement in these schools. In addition, the program will provide career guidance, life skills training, and experiential learning in order to overcome low student achievement.

Muscat, April 7, 2013. His Highness Sayyid Taimur bin Assad Al Said officially opened the new premises of AMIDEAST today at a ceremony that featured remarks by U.S. Ambassador Greta C. Holtz and a letter from AMIDEAST’s President and CEO, Ambassador Theodore H. Kattouf, read by an AMIDEAST headquarters representative. Officials from various Ministries, private sector companies and educational institutions participated in the event and then toured the new facilities at Airport Heights, which include four floors of classrooms, computer labs, testing facilities, conference and meeting rooms, a library for educational advising, a student lounge, and staff offices.  

Muscat, December 16, 2012 —AMIDEAST announced today that it plans to move its headquarters in Oman to a new location in January 2013.   Located in the Airports Heights/Ghala section of Muscat, the new purpose-built space will include an EducationUSA library, a variety of classrooms and meeting spaces, two computer labs including one certified by Educational Testing Services in the U.S. for administration of the Internet-based TOEFL, a student lounge, and a large parking lot designated for AMIDEAST visitors.

Washington, DC/Beirut, Lebanon, November 5, 2012—Led by Chairman Dr. Paul F. Boulos, President and COO of Innovyze Corporation, the AMIDEAST/Lebanon Advisory Board pledged $250,000 in new annual support for scholarships, entrepreneurship training, and workforce development initiatives in Lebanon during its recent meeting in Beirut. The two-year-old board also welcomed several new members, bringing its membership of prominent Lebanese business and civic leaders to 23.

Washington, DC/Dubai, UAE, October 9, 2012— AMIDEAST and Citi Foundation announced today the launch of the second phase of the Arab Women’s Entrepreneurship Project (AWEP) designed to empower women entrepreneurs across the MENA region, and provide them with the necessary tools for success and sustainability, hence integrating them into the global economy.

The project, which commenced in 2011 as a joint program between AMIDEAST and Citi, will be implemented in Morocco, Lebanon, Egypt and Jordan during this second year. It is expected to benefit 80 women entrepreneurs from underserved backgrounds, at the rate of 20 per country.

Amman, Jordan, July 18, 2012―American and Jordanian students advanced their language skills and understanding of each others’ cultures during a day-long forum hosted today by AMIDEAST/Jordan. The high school students are participants in two U.S. Department of State-funded initiatives that encourage development of foreign language skills.

Alexandria, Egypt, July 31, 2012 — AMIDEAST is pleased to announce that Adham El Batal from Alexandria, Egypt, is this year’s recipient of the David Mize Scholarship, a prestigious award that will cover his four years of undergraduate studies at the University of Michigan. The award, which was established in 2007, is named in honor of former AMIDEAST/Egypt country director David Mize in recognition of his leadership in the field of international education and is made possible by an Egyptian-American businessman who is an alumnus of top U.S. educational institutions.

Washington, DC, July 9, 2012―AMIDEAST is pleased to announce that the Union for the Mediterranean labeled its Skills for Success project at its regular Senior Officials Meeting, which took place in Barcelona, Spain, on June 28, 2012. The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), a multilateral partnership encompassing 43 countries from Europe and the Mediterranean Basin, promotes sustainable development projects in and among its member states.

After a project receives the UfM “label,” the UfM Secretariat facilitates its promotion, especially its financing needs. Once the project is launched, the Secretariat monitors its implementation, ensuring that criteria required for obtaining and keeping the UfM “project label” are being met.

Amman, June 25, 2012—AMIDEAST celebrated its move to a new headquarters for its Jordan operations today. Located in the heart of Amman, the spacious, modern facility will enable AMIDEAST’s Jordan country office to better serve the country’s growing need for a broad range of educational and training services.

Jordanian and international representatives from government, higher education, and the private sector joined AMIDEAST staff to celebrate the move and welcome Ms. Dana Shuqom, who recently became AMIDEAST’s country director for Jordan.