A U.S.-Yemen Case Study in Safeguarding Antiquities and Cultural Heritage Amidst Conflict

On April 30, 2024, the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations hosted a discussion on “A U.S.-Yemen Case Study in Safeguarding Antiquities and Cultural Heritage Amidst Conflict.” The program explored successful collaboration in working for the protection and preservation of Yemen’s cultural heritage.

 

 

Featured Specialists:

The discussion can be viewed on the National Council’s YouTube channel.

Yemen in Focus w/ US Special Envoy Tim Lenderking [2022 Arab-US Policymakers Conference]

The 31st Annual Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference, Arab-U.S. Uncertainties: What Lies Ahead?, convened at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C., on November 2-3, 2022. These are some of the conference proceedings.

 

 
“Yemen in Focus”

Featuring:

Mr. Timothy Lenderking – U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Yemen; former U.S. Department of State Deputy Assistant Secretary for Arabian Peninsula Affairs.

Mr. David Des Roches – U.S. Department of Defense National Defense University Near East/South Asia Center for Strategic Studies Associate Professor; National Council Senior International Affairs Fellow.

Mr. Abdulrahman Al-Eryani – Professional international development specialist; former Principal Economic Officer, Embassy of the Republic of Yemen.

Ms. Sarah Charles – U.S. Agency for International Development Assistant to the Administrator; former White House National Security Council Director; former International Rescue Committee Senior Director for Policy and Advocacy.

Ambassador (Ret.) Christopher Henzel – former United States Ambassador to Yemen (2019-2021); former United States Chargé d’affaires Ad Interim in Saudi Arabia (2017-2019).

The Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference is the signature annual symposium organized and administered by the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations.

National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations Welcomes Kuwait Ambassador H.E. Jasem Albudaiwi to Washington, D.C.

On August 30, 2022, the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations was honored to host a program welcoming H.E. Jasem Albudaiwi, the new Ambassador of Kuwait to the United States, to Washington, D.C. It was attended by representatives from the United States government, private sector, and public policy research organizations as well as fellow diplomats.

H.E. Jasem Albudaiwi, Ambassador of Kuwait to the United States, makes remarks at the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations’ program welcoming His Excellency back to Washington, D.C. National Council Founding President & CEO Dr. John Duke Anthony and Executive Vice President & Director of Development Patrick Mancino look on behind him.

During the program, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Arabian Peninsula Affairs Daniel Benaim, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Ilan Goldenberg, and U.S. Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking contributed remarks highlighting the mutual benefits of the U.S.-Kuwait relationship. Council Founding President & CEO Dr. John Duke Anthony served as Context Provider for the event, and provided historical frames of reference for better appreciating the role of Kuwait in regional and global affairs. Ambassador Jasem Albudaiwi gave keynote remarks stressing the importance of the Kuwait-U.S. relationship, and the value of strengthening and expanding bilateral and regional ties to meet the challenges of tomorrow.

At the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations’ program for H.E. Jasem Albudaiwi, the new Ambassador of Kuwait to the United States, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Arabian Peninsula Affairs Daniel Benaim (top right), Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Ilan Goldenberg (top left), U.S. Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking (bottom right), and National Council Founding President & CEO Dr. John Duke Anthony (bottom left) contributed remarks highlighting the mutual benefits of the United States-Kuwait relationship.

National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations and Adalah Foundation Collaborate to Bring Youth Leadership Development Program / Model Arab League to Yemen

United States Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking, Ambassador of Yemen to the United States His Excellency Mohammed Al-Hadhrami, Ambassador (Ret.) Richard Schmierer, and Distinguished Guests Attend Signing Ceremony To Celebrate Cooperation Between American and Yemen Non-Profit NGOs

Washington, D.C., U.S.A. & Mukalla, Hadhramout, Yemen: The Washington, D.C.-based National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations (“National Council” or “Council”) recently executed a Memorandum of Understanding for strategic cooperation on educational programs for students with the Mukalla-based Adalah Foundation For Legal Development (“Adalah Foundation”). The agreement will expand the National Council’s Youth Leadership Development Program / Model Arab League in the Arab region to include secondary and university students from the Republic of Yemen. Under the Memorandum of Understanding each party will maintain its independent status.

The National Council’s Youth Leadership Development Program / Model Arab League is an experiential learning exercise where students have the opportunity to practice representing the needs, concerns, interests, and objectives of someone other than themselves during the course of simulating a diplomatic summit. The program has been educating and training leaders of tomorrow since its inception in the early 1980s. There are over 55,000 program alumni, and conferences in Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, and Saudi Arabia augment the roughly 20 conferences with 2,000 total students who participate in the activity in the United States each year.

Individuals stand together after signing an agreement

The cooperation agreement between the National Council and the Adalah Foundation was celebrated at a signing ceremony this week at the office of the National Council. In attendance were United States Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking, Ambassador of Yemen to the United States His Excellency Mohammed Al-Hadhrami, and guests from the Adalah Foundation, the National Council, and the Embassy of Yemen in Washington, D.C., including Council Chairman John Pratt and Council International Advisory Committee Member and Middle East Policy Council President & Chairman of the Board Ambassador (Ret.) Richard Schmierer (not pictured).

With educational resources and support made available to the Yemeni participants by the National Council, the Adalah Foundation will implement the Youth Leadership Development Program / Model Arab League’s educational components of diplomatic simulations, workshops, and conferences to provide learning and training opportunities for Yemeni youth. The Youth Leadership Development Program / Model Arab League helps young individuals develop professional skills that will be vital to their success in whatever path their future takes. Through the Adalah Foundation’s efforts and with the Council’s support, the Youth Leadership Development Program / Model Arab League will provide opportunities for Yemen’s emerging leaders to grow intellectually and professionally to prepare them to address challenges confronting their country, region, and the global community.

National Council Founding President & CEO Dr. John Duke Anthony praised the collaboration between the Council and the Adalah Foundation to further learning and leadership training in Yemen. He remarked, “Involvement in Youth Leadership Development Program / Model Arab League could hardly be more essential. Few programs are as effective in introducing and exploring the complexities facing the people and nations of the world. Just imagine what happens as young leaders of tomorrow analyze and address issues from a perspective different from their own. Not only does it dramatically improve their ability to think critically and empathetically, it also enhances their ability to address the multifaceted range of challenges facing our shared future.”

Student raise placards in the air to vote on a motion during a meeting

Students utilize parliamentary procedure during Youth Leadership Development Program / Model Arab League sessions. Understanding and utilizing basic rules of meetings helps to train future leaders how to consider viewpoints and make decisions in a fair, consistent, and effective manner.

At a signing ceremony celebrating the cooperation agreement, Founder and Chairman of the Adalah Foundation Mr. Mohammed Bin Hamdeen shared his passion for youth leadership development education, remarking that “this invaluable collaboration with the National Council will train, educate, and uplift Yemen students who are eager to promote diplomacy and peace for the benefit of a peaceful and prosperous Yemen. Youth represent a large percentage of the population and we must engage our future leaders in programs and projects that will prepare them for opportunities and meaningful lives.”

About the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations: Founded in 1983 and based in Washington, D.C., the National Council is an American non-profit, non-governmental, educational organization dedicated to improving American knowledge and understanding of the Arab region. Information about the Council’s program, projects, events, and activities can be found at ncusar.org.

About the Adalah Foundation: Founded in 2012 and based in Mukalla, Yemen, Adalah (meaning ‘Justice’ in Arabic) is a non-profit foundation dedicated to enhancing effective community participation and youth capabilities toward promoting peace and building the state of law responsive to Yemen’s needs and aspirations. Information about the Adalah Foundation can be found at www.adalah-ye.org.

Focus on the Humanitarian Crisis in Yemen

On June 24, 2021, the National Council and Reconnaissance Research convened an online discussion, “Focus on the Humanitarian Crisis in Yemen.”

 

 

Joining the program were:

Featured Specialists:

  • Mr. Timothy A. Lenderking, U.S. Special Envoy for Yemen (February 4, 2021 – Present); Former U.S. Department of State Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs Deputy Assistant Secretary for Arabian Peninsula Affairs; Former U.S. Department of State Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
  • Ms. Sarah Charles, U.S. Agency for International Development Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance Assistant to the Administrator; Former International Rescue Committee Senior Director for Policy and Advocacy; Former White House National Security Council Director for Humanitarian Affairs, and Director and Acting Senior Director for Strategic Planning.
  • Mr. David Gressly, United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Yemen (February 15, 2021 – Present); Former Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Protection and Operations for the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Moderator:

  • Colonel (Ret.) Abbas K. Dahouk, National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations Board of Directors Member; Former U.S. Department of State Senior Military Advisor; Former U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia Defense and Army Attaché; HyphenPoint LLC President.

Welcome and Context Providers:

  • Dr. John Duke Anthony, National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations Founding President and CEO; Former Fulbright Fellow in the People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen (1969-1970); Official observer for four of Yemen’s presidential and parliamentary elections.
  • Mr. Abdulaziz M. Al-Anjeri, Reconnaissance Research Founder and CEO.

Audio and video recordings of the program are available above and below, and on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and elsewhere.

“Focus on the Humanitarian Crisis in Yemen: A Conversation with Tim Lenderking, Sarah Charles, and David Gressly” podcast (.mp3)

29th Annual Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference Proceedings

The Next U.S. Presidency:
Implications for the U.S.-Arab Relationship

The National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations Annual Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference gathers internationally renowned specialists to analyze, discuss, and debate issues of over-arching importance to the American and Arab people’s needs, concerns, interests, and key foreign policy objectives. It is the largest annual gathering in America dedicated to studying, understanding, and promoting the U.S.-Arab relationship.

The 29th Annual Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference – The Next U.S. Presidency: Implications for the U.S.-Arab Relationship – was broadcast live online November 17-19, 2020. Audio and video recordings of the program are available below as well as on YouTubeApple PodcastsSpotify, and elsewhere.

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The Life of Sultan Qaboos Bin Said (1940-2020): Context, Reflections, Perspectives

On February 5, 2020, the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations in cooperation with the Sultan Qaboos Cultural Center hosted a remembrance and discussion in Washington, D.C., titled “The Life of Sultan Qaboos Bin Said (1940-2020): Context, Reflections, Perspectives.”

 

 

Joining the program were:

Keynote Speaker:

  • Her Excellency Hunaina Sultan Ahmed Al Mughairy, Ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman to the United States.

Moderator and Context Provider:

  • Ms. Kathleen Ridolfo, Sultan Qaboos Cultural Center Executive Director.

Featured Specialists:

  • Ambassador (Ret.) Frances D. Cook, Former United States Ambassador to the Sultanate of Oman (1996-1999).
  • Ambassador (Ret.) Richard J. Schmierer, Former United States Ambassador to the Sultanate of Oman (2009-2012).
  • Mr. Timothy Lenderking, U.S. Department of State Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs Deputy Assistant Secretary for Arabian Gulf Affairs.
  • Dr. John Duke Anthony, National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations Founding President and CEO.

Audio and video recordings of the program are available above and below, and on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and elsewhere.

 

 

“The Life of Sultan Qaboos Bin Said (1940-2020): Context, Reflections, Perspectives” podcast (.mp3)