Cairo, Egypt, August 20, 2010 — AMIDEAST is pleased to announce the start of a new program that will provide Egyptian Imams and female religious scholars with the linguistic tools needed to engage in discussions and explanations of Islam, particularly to non-Muslims.  Funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the English for Religious Purposes program will be offered in Alexandria and Tanta over the coming two years. 

Washington, DC, March 30, 2010 — AMIDEAST is pleased to announce the launch of a scholarship initiative that will enable more American college students to live and study in the Arab world. Beginning this summer, the new AMIDEAST Arab Heritage Fund Scholarship Program will provide a limited number of need-based scholarships for participants in AMIDEAST’s summer, semester, and academic-year study abroad programs in Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, and Morocco.

Amman, Jordan, March 22, 2010 — Senior representatives of AMIDEAST announced plans today to expand the American organization’s operations in Jordan, including the opening of a training center in Aqaba and a new scholarship initiative for women entrepreneurs.

 Amman, July 27, 2010 — Under an agreement signed in Amman today, Arab Bank and American education organization AMIDEAST have launched an innovative partnership to benefit Arab Bank customers and the many individuals who access AMIDEAST’s extensive education and training programs.

For the fourth consecutive year with funding from the U.S. Consulate in Jerusalem and in partnership with UNRWA, AMIDEAST conducted “Camp Discovery” — a multi-faceted, learner-centered summer camp experience for Palestinian youth aged 8–14 in refugee camps in Gaza and the West Bank.

Some of last year's Scholarship recipients. 

AMIDEAST is pleased to announce the fourth year of recruitment for the Tomorrow’s Leaders Scholarship Program, a program of the U.S. Department of State’s Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI). As the program’s recruiter, AMIDEAST will help identify 51 outstanding students from the Middle East and North Africa who would be able to obtain admission to a university on merit, but lack the financial resources to matriculate.

The scholarship program will provide these students with up to five years of academic study at the American University in Cairo (AUC), the American University of Beirut (AUB), or Lebanese American University (LAU). In addition to covering the cost of tuition, living expenses, and an experience studying abroad in the United States, the host universities will pair each student with enriching community service opportunities and internships.

The aim of the Tomorrow’s Leaders Scholarship Program is to identify highly motivated and civically-minded students who, as future leaders, will work to encourage open, participatory societies in the MENA region. Launched in 2007, the program has already provided scholarships to more than 90 students from across the region.

The scholarship recipients will begin their studies in fall 2011.

AMIDEAST is pleased to welcome Charles “Chuck” Griffin as its new Country Director for Saudi Arabia. He joined AMIDEAST in early July and will oversee the start-up of AMIDEAST’s operations in the kingdom, which will entail establishing a full-service office in Riyadh that offers English language, test preparation, standardized testing, management training, and scholarship management programs and services. 

Egyptian jewelry designer Azza Fahmy surrounded by her daughters and young designers.

AMIDEAST will join forces with Egyptian jewelry designer Azza Fahmy and Cairo-based Townhouse Gallery to create an innovative arts program that will enable underprivileged youth with artistic inclination and talent to enter the burgeoning creative workforce in Egypt.

A performance by Arab-American country and pop singer-songwriter Kareem Salama (right) added to the festive atmosphere during the opening ceremony of the new AMIDEAST center in Hebron.

Arab-American country and pop singer-songwriter Kareem Salama performed at the opening ceremony of the new AMIDEAST center in Hebron, adding to the festive atmosphere.  Dozens of students attended the ceremony and the performance and remained afterwards for a discussion with Mr. Salama regarding his life in the United States as an Arab and a Muslim.

“The workshop presents a great opportunity to meet diverse people, whether fellow participants, facilitators, or guest speakers," observed Layal Roumani (far right).

“Vision is not only creativity or a dream; it is how you make that dream come true,” Lebanese entrepreneur Nadim Saikali advises aspiring entrepreneurs in a training program recently launched in Lebanon.