The effects of gender inequality are pronounced among the poor who live in marginalized communities of Cairo — some not far from AMIDEAST's offices in the center of the city. Young women in these neighborhoods find it difficult to overcome longstanding social and economic barriers in order to benefit from the access to education, jobs, and other resources that large cities typically offer.

Responding to renewed interest in the future of Tunisia's higher education system following the country's revolution, AMIDEAST was pleased to cohost a symposium on the future of Tunisian-U.S. institutional cooperation in higher education. Held in Tunis on Nov. 7-8, 2012, the two-day event also explored core issues of higher education reform.

By Cathy Mentzer

Wilson College holds the distinction of being one of only eight women’s colleges in the United States to enroll students as part of the NeXXt Scholars Initiative in its inaugural year. Ghada Tafesh, of the city of Gaza in the Palestinian Territories, is one of 12 international students to participate in the program, which encourages young women from countries with predominantly Muslim populations to obtain a world-class STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) undergraduate education at one of 38 U.S. women’s colleges.

On January 13, 2013, AMIDEAST/Oman opened its doors in a new facility located in the Airports Heights/Ghala section of Muscat. The large, modern facility will better enable AMIDEAST to serve the country's growing need for a broad range of educational and training services.

The new purpose-built space features an EducationUSA library, Cisco Entrepreneur Institute facilities, a variety of classrooms and meeting spaces, two computer labs including one certified by U.S. testing company Educational Testing Services for administration of the Internet-based TOEFL exam, and a student lounge.

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.

AMIDEAST strongly condemns the offensive film that has inflamed passions across the Middle East and abhors, as do the vast majority of Americans, the hateful intentions behind it. Such actions must not be allowed to undermine the bonds of friendship that exist between Americans and the peoples of the Middle East. AMIDEAST likewise strongly condemns the senseless violence that caused the deaths this week of four American diplomats in Libya, who were there to assist the Libyan people rebuild their country. Peaceful demonstrations are a right, but there is no justification for violence.

AMIDEAST mourns the loss of Dr. Fahim Qubain, who passed away in April at the age of 88. Qubain will be long remembered as the founder of the Hope Fund, an organization that in one decade has made a made a life-changing difference for nearly 70 young Palestinian men and women from refugee camps in Lebanon, Jordan, the West Bank and Gaza.

 AMIDEAST was saddened by the death of Bassel Al Shahade, a student in the Fulbright Foreign Student Program who was pursuing a master of fine arts degree in film at Syracuse University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts. Shahade, from Damascus, Syria, was a promising young filmmaker and civic activist who had already used his filmmaking talent before joining the Fulbright program to draw attention to the problems facing women in his country and to the impact of drought on communities in northern Syria. As fighting intensified in Syria, Shahade could not ignore the deterioration of conditions and decided to return. He was killed May 28 in the embattled city of Homs, where he had travelled to train activist videographers and to work on a film of his own about the historic events underway in his country.