May 2013

CAI Partners With ROM's Mesopotamia Exhibit

Saturday, June 22, 2013 - Sunday, January 5, 2014

The Canadian Arab Institute is proud to partner with the Royal Ontario Museum in promoting its Mesopotamia Exhibit. The touring exhibition from the British Museum makes its North American debut at the ROM on June 22.

Interactive and immersive, Mesopotamia brings adults and children eye to eye with one of the world’s most advanced ancient civilizations.

“We’re incredibly excited to work alongside the ROM to share Mesopotamia’s remarkable achievements and history with Canadians,” said CAI President Raja Khouri.

This unique exhibit combines interactive elements to enable visitors to look back in time to the land where urban civilization originated. It is a one-of-a-kind educational exhibition that has entranced and enlightened visitors around the world.

Exploring over 3,000 years of accomplishments of this ancient civilization to reveal the significance many still have on our lives today, the exhibit will feature over 170 artifacts that were excavated in the 19th and 20th centuries from modern-day Syria, Iraq and Turkey. From dramatic stone structures and imposing statues to delicate jewellery and tomb relics, the exhibit showcases artifacts from over 3,000 years of Mesopotamian history.

For more information and to book advance tickets, click here.

CAI Appoints Two New Advisory Board Members

The CAI is pleased to welcome Dr. Hoda ElMaraghy and the Honourable Bill Graham to our Advisory Board.


Dr. Hoda ElMaraghy is an engineering professor at the University of Windsor, where she became Canada’s first female dean of engineering. She has published more than 380 papers in scientific and professional journals and conferences, edited 3 books and contributed to over a dozen others. She acts as a consultant to many government and corporate organizations in countries all over the world.


 

Bill Graham is a former Canadian politician who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of National Defence and Leader of the Opposition and interim Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. Prior to entering politics, he was a professor of international law at the University of Toronto, where he later received the Distinguished Alumnus Award for his exemplary career in academia and public leadership.

Last month, the CAI announced the creation of its new Advisory Board, made up of a distinguished group of experts who expand the talents and capabilities of the institution. Dr. ElMaraghy and Bill Graham will join Mamdouh Shoukri, James Zogby, John Monahan, Errol Mendes and Ferry de Kerckhove in providing invaluable perspective on relevant issues and helping lead CAI's projects to fruition.

Policy Brief: Canada Must Strengthen Economic Relations With the Middle East

• While Canada has experienced significant trade growth with the region in recent years, it is pertinent that a stronger effort must be made to strengthen and deepen Canada-Middle East economic relations. This is increasingly true for the six states that make up the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), one of the fastest growing regions in the world over the past decade.
   
• The GCC, beyond offering substantial opportunity for economic activity itself, can also be seen as the crucial hub for trade in the MENA region.
   
• If Canada is to capitalize on the potential of this growing market, it must make engagement with the GCC a policy priority. Recent progress in Kuwait, Jordan and Morocco on FIPAs and FTAs are a good start, but lack the scope and market potential that would be opened up through a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement with the GCC.

Click here to read the entire brief.

Welcome CAI Summer Interns!

Please join us in welcoming Richard DeLisle and Shahd Orfali to the CAI team.

Richard DeLisle joins us as a fundraising intern for a period of 10 weeks. He is a graduate of the Fundraising and Volunteer Management post-graduate certificate program at Humber College and is looking forward to a career in professional fundraising. Originally from Windsor, ON, Richard lived in Egypt and Jordan for half a year on a professional internship in 2011 and experienced the onset of the Arab Spring in Egypt. While in the Middle East, he fell in love with Arab culture and hopes to eventually return to the region in a professional capacity. Richard has been involved in several LGBT organizations and is an advocate for international LGBT human rights.

Save the Date: CAI Official Launch

The CAI will hold a gala celebrating its official launch on October 30, 2013.  The gala will take place at the Royal Ontario Museum and will offer, as part of its proceedings, a tour of the museum's Mesopotamia Exhibit. The evening will reflect on Canadian Arab achievements and the community's potential, while highlighting the importance of improved understanding and relations between Canadian society and Arabic speaking peoples. More details to come.

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