Skip to content
  • Image
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Podcasts
  • Email
  • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
  • Contact
The Arab Daily News

The Arab Daily News

Original news, features, opinions from Chicago to Jerusalem

  • About
    • About
    • Our Writers
    • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
    • Book Store
    • Contact
    • Submit Book Reviews, Press Releases
    • Advertise
    • Privacy Corrections Policy
    • Profile on Ray Hanania
    • Submit Press Release
  • Features
    • Food
    • Book Review
    • Humor
    • Movies
    • Travel
  • Arab Stores Targeted
  • Arab Community Network Page
    • Arab Community Network Page
    • Arab Heritage America resources
    • Directory
      • Groups & Organizations
      • Mosques, Churches
      • Restaurants
      • 2008 & 2014 Arab Media Directories
    • National Arab Heritage Month
    • Video: Chicago Arab History
    • Video: Photo Array of Chicago Arabs
    • Overview of Arabs in America
    • Hanania standup comedy
    • Arabs on the Titanic
    • Obituaries
  • Podcasts
    • Ray Hanania on Politics Podcast
    • Arab News Ray Hanania Radio
    • Arab Radio Podcast intro
    • Radio Baladi Detroit
  • Hanania on Tiktok
  • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
  • Toggle search form
  • US Senator Bernie Sanders
    Sanders: Trump Welcomes War Criminal to White House American Arabs
  • Al-Haq
    War crimes probe urged against two Israeli snipers who intentionally killed civilian women, children Christian & Muslim
  • CAIR Executive Director and co-founder Nihad Awad
    CAIR Says Israel Turns Gaza into ‘Human Slaughterhouse’ as Killing of Civilians Continues Arab World
  • photo credit author Nehemia Gershuni-Aylho www.NGPhoto.biz and Wikipedia
    Emergency Court Motions to Stop Elbit Drone Parts Shipment via Frankfurt Airport  Activism
  • American Journalist Shireen Abu Akleh murdered by Israeli soldiers May 11, 2022
    Documentary names soldier it says killed Shireen Abu Akleh in 2022 American Arabs
  • Committee to Protect Journalists, CPJ
    Jordan bans 12 news sites for ‘spreading media poison’ following corruption report Arab World
  • CAIR Logo. Council on American Islamic Relations
    CAIR Condemns MIT for banning Class President from Graduation Ceremony over Anti-Genocide speech Activism
  • ADC creates emergency fund to defend people who are being punished for expressing views on the American-sanction violence by Israel in the Gaza Strip. Photo courtesy of ADC
    ADC Condemns ADL, Rep. Torres’ Defamation of Dr. Lara Sheehi Activism
  • UN Special Committee on Israeli practices in occupied territories warns of a second Nakba  Arab World
  • Arab American community liaison Hassan Nijem, Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas and Bolingbrook Mayor Mary Basta at the Arab American Heritage Month event hosted by Pappas’s office.
    Pappas honors Arab American business and community leaders for Heritage Month Activism
  • 04-28-25 Pappas Arab Heritage Month
    Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas recognizes Arab American Heritage Month by honoring business and community leaders American Arabs
  • Stuffed Grape Leaves. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
    A recipe on how to make Stuffed Grape Leaves with lamb, ox tail and rice American Arabs
  • Andrew Boutros, interim US Attorney Northern District of Illinois. Photo courtesy of the US Attorney's Office
    Andrew S. Boutros Takes Oath of Office as United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois American Arabs
  • Israeli massacres of Palestinian civilians March 18 2025
    Palestinians demand investigation of Israeli war crimes in Gaza Strip Arab World
  • Illinois Muslim Action Day April 9 2025
    Illinois Muslim Action Day Policies at April 9 Statehouse News Conference American Arabs
Tunis, Tunisia. Copyright (C) 2014 Abdennour Toumi, All Rights Reserved. Tunisia has hope

Tunisian delegation visits US hosted by AAI

Posted on October 24, 2019 By rayhanania No Comments on Tunisian delegation visits US hosted by AAI
SHARE ...
          
 
  

  • Tweet

Tunisian delegation visits US hosted by AAI

TUNISIAN DELEGATION VISITS THE UNITED STATES AS PART OF THE INAUGURAL COHORT OF THE U.S.-MENA EXPERIENTIAL PARTNERSHIP

The Arab American Institute Foundation (AAIF) welcomed the inaugural cohort of the U.S. – MENA Experiential Partnership in Washington, D.C. in September. The Partnership is a pioneering initiative spearheaded by the Arab American Institute Foundation, with support from the U.S. State Department’s Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI).

The partnership pairs Arab American public servants with newly-elected officials in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region for a year-long co-mentorship exchange that champions decentralization, good governance and public private partnerships. Tunisia has been chosen for the inaugural cohort of the U.S.-MENA Experiential Partnership. The visiting Tunisian delegation comprises 12 Tunisian municipal officials who were part of the historic 2018 Tunisian elections, which ushered in the first generation of elected officials at the local and city level. The delegation’s visit to the United States is part of an experiential learning trip designed to expose the Tunisian peers to American democratic institutions and systems of governance.

The delegation began its experiential learning visit with a U.S. State Department briefing at MEPI’s offices with officials from the Bureau of Near eastern Affairs and MEPI. Dr. Rita Stephan, the Director of MEPI, welcomed the delegation and reiterated the importance of U.S. international programing to promote diplomacy and democracy abroad.

Tunis, Tunisia. Copyright (C) 2014 Abdennour Toumi, All Rights Reserved. Tunisia has hope
Tunis, Tunisia. Copyright (C) 2014 Abdennour Toumi, All Rights Reserved. Tunisia has hope

The Tunisian delegation also meet with member organizations of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, including American Civil Liberties Union, Bend the Arc Jewish Action, Leadership Conference, LGBTQ Task Force, Muslim Advocates, and the National Disability Rights Network, and with the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law. These engagements highlighted the role of an active and empowered civil society in a healthy, participatory model of democratic governance. The Tunisian peers also participated in a journalists’ roundtable with leading Arab American media personalities to discuss the important role of the media in strengthening the democratic process, and attended a lunch and briefing at Facebook’s Washington, D.C., offices, discussing issues of civic engagement and disinformation on the Facebook platform.

The Tunisian delegation visited the offices of the Arab American Institute Foundation, where they participated in a coaching seminar with Dr. James Zogby, President of the Arab American Institute, on the role of an active citizenry in the American political system and the importance of Arab Americans’ engagement in public service.

“The Arab American Leadership Council has been pivotal in acting as a bridge of understanding. The U.S.-MENA Experiential partnership is designed to empower Arab American officials to be stronger advocates for better policies, while also establishing a strong relationship between both peoples to overcome the East-West divide.”

The Tunisian delegation spent a day-long, intensive good governance training seminar, focused on skill development in conflict resolution, models of community engagement, ethics and transparency, and best practices in municipal governance including financial budgeting, running effective meetings, consensus building, etc.). The training modules where taught by faculty of the University of Maryland’s Municipal Leadership Training Certification program.

During their time in Washington, D.C., the Tunisian delegation also visited the United States Congress, and visited with senior staff members of Congresswoman Betty McCollum, Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, Congressman Dwight Evans, the Congressional Research Service, as well as with directors on the Senate Committee on Appropriations and the State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs Sub-committee on the Appropriations’ Committee. The Tunisian delegation took this opportunity to share their successes as well as continued challenges in building and strengthening their democracy post revolution. The delegation also toured the U.S. Capitol building and key historical monuments in Washington, D.C.

The Arab American Institute Foundation hosted a Congressional Briefing entitled, Tunisia at a Crossroads: Balancing Political Stability and Economic Prosperity, sponsored by Congresswoman Betty McCollum’s office. The briefing was an opportunity to hear first-hand accounts from Mr. Sami Khalfallah and Ms. Imen Karoui, council members from the Tunisian cities of Sfax and Dar Chabaane El Fehri, respectively, on the latest political developments in Tunisia in the aftermath of the passing of President Caid-Essebsi, the ongoing presidential elections, and their repercussions on the stability of the country. The Tunisian peers were joined by Dr. Daniel Brumberg of Georgetown University, and Dr. Rita Stephan, the Director of MEPI.

AAIF also co-hosted an event with Georgetown University’s Center for Contemporary Arab Studies entitled, The Madinah Now and Then: the Politics and Challenges of Cultural Preservation. Dr. Raja Gmir, councilwoman for the city of Tunis, spoke about the many successes of rehabilitating and preserving historical buildings in the Tunis Madinah and the push for the recognition of Madinahs as world heritage sites. Dr. Gmir was joined by her Ms. Dhoha Bouzid, Councilwoman for the city of Sfax, and Dr. Kathryn Hanson of the Smithsonian Institution, who spoke about her cultural preservation work in conflict zones, such as Iraq and Syria.

The Tunisian delegation and their Arab American peers also attended a reception and private dinner hosted in their honor by the Tunisian Ambassador to the United States, Mr. Faycal Gouia. Ambassador Gouia expressed and reiterated his support of the Tunisian cohort of the U.S.-MENA Experiential Partnership saying,

“We need more [Tunisian] delegations to visit [the United States] so that they can see for themselves democracy at work. It is also important to give exposure to our nascent Tunisian democracy by having American delegations visit. We must continue to build bridges of cooperation and understanding – and the U.S.-MENA Experiential Partnership, does exactly that.”

The Tunisian delegation traveled to Philadelphia where they were joined by their Arab American peers. The peers began their visit by a meeting with Mayor of the City of Philadelphia Mr. Jim Kenney and members of his senior staff. The Tunisian delegation had a fruitful discussion about best practices in how to run and manager a diverse metropolitan city.

The Tunisian delegation also met with Mr. Anuj Gupta, General Manager of the Reading Terminal, for a discussion on the successes of Public Private Partnerships in the city of Philadelphia, and with Mr. Numa St. Louis, the District Director for Congressman Dwight Evans, for a discussion on the models of constituent service delivery to serve the diverse communities. The Tunisian delegation also visited Independence Hall and the historic Liberty Bell and attended a briefing on the early founding and history of the United States, including the writing of both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.

newswire info
  • About
  • Latest Posts
rayhanania
rayhanania
Op-Ed writer, author, radio host, podcaster at The Arab Daily News
Ray Hanania is an award-winning columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.  

His award winning columns can be found at www.HANANIA.COM Subscribe FREE today

Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.

Email Ray Hanania at rghanania@gmail.com.

Follow RayHanania at Twitter
rayhanania
Latest posts by rayhanania (see all)
  • Israelisnipers shooting and killing hospital workers in Gaza - December 11, 2023
  • CAIR Condemns Israeli Executions of Wounded, Unarmed Palestinian in West Bank   - December 11, 2023
  • Arab and Muslim American voters face a “simple choice” between Biden’s inhumanity and Trump’s edgy politics - December 9, 2023

  • Tweet

SHARE ...
          
 
  
 
          
 
 Tweet 
American Arabs, Features, North Africa, Tunisia Tags:AAI, Arab American Institute, MENA Experiential Partnership, Mentoring, Tunisia

Post navigation

Previous Post: Jewish and Muslim Partnership  commemorate Anniversary of Pittsburgh Synagogue shooting
Next Post: The Arab street Podcast: Kurds, UN General Assembly, & Respecting religion

Related Posts

  • Young girl injured by Israeli fire inspires calls for freedom from Israeli oppression Arab World
  • UN Chief urges Students to strengthen Egypt Arab World
  • Everyday Items reflect stereotypes of “Them”  American Arabs
  • Book cover "The Road to Nablus" by author Bassam Hadi
    New book: The Road to Nablus American Arabs
  • Orland Prayer Center Sheikh Kifah Mustapha (left) meets with American Arab Chamber of Commerce President Hassan Nijem (center) and Cook COunty Treasurer Maria Pappas (right) to discuss the Treasurer's new tax refund program. Photo courtesy HassanNijem
    More than $200,000 in overpaid taxes refunded to Arab Americans under Treasurer’s program Activism
  • Ramadan Mubarak Ad designed by Mansour Tadros, Al Mustaqbal Newspaper / The Future News
    US Arab Radio showcases special features during Ramadan Arab Radio

More Related Articles

California Visitors Association opens office to promote bi-lateral tourism opportunities with Dubai American Arabs
ISIS and Al Qaida Alliance efforts in Syria Failed Ali Younes
IMAGINE a Thanksgiving of Real Peace: Paix, Salaam, Shalom American Arabs
US Council of Muslim Organizations strongly condemns the recent hateful, politically motivated, and transparently dishonest attempts to smear the American Muslim community, particularly the Minnesota Muslim community. USCMO Condemns “Defamatory, Islamophobic” Attempts to Smear Minnesota Muslim Community American Arabs
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel hosts Iftar for area Muslims American Arabs
President Bouteflika, Algeria (Photo credit: Wikipedia) All you Need to Know about Algerian Political Harvest Season  Abdennour Toumi

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Ray Hanania's 4 times a week columns at https://RayHanania.com at Substack

Enter Your Email to Subscribe to Ray Hanania’s Columns

  • OPINION COLUMNS
  • Photo courtesy of Journalist Abdennour Toumi
    France: Political Compromise vs Political Instability
    August 28, 2024
  • Zakia Restaurant in Atlanta, Georgia
    Arabs eat Middle East food like they are making love
    June 27, 2024
  • Zwar lamb kabob and kufta with white and yellow rice
    Zwar ranked the Best Middle East restaurant in Chicagoland suburbs
    June 8, 2024
  • Pictured: Rahm Emanuel, Afghan activist Salman Aftab who was co-chair of the Iftar dinner, and several non-Arab Muslim leaders. Also pictured is Ald. Joe Moore. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania for Arab News
    Comprehensive look at the failings of former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel
    January 18, 2024
  • NEWSWIRE
  • CAIR Logo. Council on American Islamic Relations
    CAIR Condemns MIT for banning Class President from Graduation Ceremony over Anti-Genocide speech
    June 1, 2025
  • Arab American community liaison Hassan Nijem, Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas and Bolingbrook Mayor Mary Basta at the Arab American Heritage Month event hosted by Pappas’s office.
    Pappas honors Arab American business and community leaders for Heritage Month
    April 29, 2025
  • 04-28-25 Pappas Arab Heritage Month
    Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas recognizes Arab American Heritage Month by honoring business and community leaders
    April 27, 2025
  • Mike Ghouse
    Celebration of 500th Interfaith Marriage Ceremony
    February 14, 2025

Creative Commons License
All work on this website is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Do not edit original work. Give credit to the original source.

  • NEWS
  • US Senator Bernie Sanders
    Sanders: Trump Welcomes War Criminal to White House
    July 9, 2025
  • Al-Haq
    War crimes probe urged against two Israeli snipers who intentionally killed civilian women, children
    July 2, 2025
  • BOOK REVIEWS
  • Faisal Abbas Book Anecdotes
    Book Review: Arab author shares his anecdotes living in the United Kingdom
    October 22, 2024
  • Columnist Ray Hanania at the ADC Convention in Dearborn with the author Susan Abulhawa
    Book Review: Mornings in Jenin bySusan Abulhawa
    September 14, 2024
  • ENTERTAINMENT
  • Television set and remote. Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash
    MBC GROUP unveils MBCNOW, its brand-new groundbreaking entertainment service aggregator
    February 24, 2025
  • ArabCon 2024 Gala Program features Dr. Cornel West, Macklemore, and more
    September 6, 2024
  • New-iTunes-1400-x-1400-The-Ray-Hanania-Show-Podcast-Icon-300-x-300.jpg
  • powerpr300x300ad.jpg
  • The-Kings-Pawn-Book-300-x-300.png
  • Podcast-iTunes-Logo-Chi-City-Hall-1985.jpg
  • terroristbookcover-300-x-300.jpg
Arab News Newspaper Logo
Read the Arab News, the leading English language newspaper in the MIddle East

Follow Ray Hanania at
Twitter
Facebook
TitkTok
BlueSky
RayHanania Columns

Click here to get information on The Ray Hanania Radio Show and its podcasts

Copyright © 2025 The Arab Daily News.

Powered by PressBook Premium theme