July is all about development in the pita-consuming region. Please send your submissions to Nadia at info@pitapolicyconsulting.com.
This week’s post goes into a different aspect of development–sort of the “Part 2 of Prospects for Development…” but on a more “individual level” rather than at the larger role of civil society. What I mean is: we all are responsible for development of community, civil society, and the larger nation. Whether we decide to report for jury duty, serve in the army, vote for a candidate, or even go through the bureaucratic channels to complain–maybe even have the opportunity to draft a constitution–it is an opportunity to celebrate “independence” together, ironically. We can easily comment on the developmental challenges in other countries while forgetting that development is not just action, it is also an exercise in patience.
First Post: Tech Crunch published “The Arab World Has Tech Talent To Sustain It Beyond The Clones” by Mehrunisa Qayyum, founder of PITAPOLICY and Huffington Post Blogger. On that note, don’t forget to check out tech entrepreneurs survey!
Second Post: #MENAsocent: First DC-MENA Tweetup=#Success
Third Post: Prospects for Development After Elections
Wednesday July 18th: Guest Contributor, Ramah Kudaimi (@ramahkudaimi) on Boycotts, Divestments & Sanctions
Celebrating Independence Goes Beyond Parties, Candidates and Constitutions
By: Mehrunisa Qayyum
Originally published on Huffington Post July 10th, 2012
July 4th is the symbolic “Happy Birthday” for the United States. As Americans, we declared our freedom and emotionally separated ourselves from our rulers. It was not the birth of a two-party system, nor the birth of the election process. Moreover, July 4th is not the date we recognized the distinction between state and federal politics, or even the creation of our revered U.S. Constitution. Our constitution would emerge ten years later — after the physical separation and the deaths of revolutionaries. We remain a relatively young nation.
Back then, we needed time to build our emotional and physical identity. So why is it that we are so critical of other nations, like Egypt and Tunisia, which have barely had a year to finalize their new constitutions, or a four-year term to test out their newly elected parties? When Tunisia and Egypt celebrate their Independence Days, I doubt that they are focusing on the specifics of political parties, local candidates, and drafting Constitutions. That is what elections are for, right? Click here to continue…
