The Riordan Programs

Phase V Qatar (continued)

Friday, March 19, 2010

1130am – 230pm  Camel Races

2:30pm – 5:30pm Al Jazeera Television

By far, today has been the best of the trip with respect to entertainment.  And last night was a hard act to follow at the Ministers Club. I am still a bit overstuffed after that meal.  So, off to the Camel races we went…..but first we stopped by a high ranking official’s personal museum.  My brother Stacy, a big fan of old cars, would have loved this tour along with my dad. A vintage GTO, mint condition Cadillacs, BMW motorcycles,  1978 Pontiac Thunderbird,  a water well…YES!! I said a water well..and it was quite deep……a small airplane..YES!! again…I said an airplane. ….fantastic art pieces…a few buses……weapons that included guns, knives, arrow heads from the 8^th century…models of Islamic homes from the 18^th century…. models of tents showcasing life in the desert….just amazing collection of personal property that was apparently started 10 years ago. We must have walked through 4-5 decent sized buildings that contained all of the above prized collections. So, after soaking in all that one could possibly look at in astonishment, then it was time to see our guest’s farm before we went to the Camel races.

We didn’t get out of the bus but did see a few peacocks walking around in the 36^o C

But when we arrived at the stable with the camels, we had to get out and up close. I counted about 8-10 camels ranging in age 1-3 years old….worth $1M-4M per camel depending on the age and ability. There was a young camel who was very playful and curious to meet us. She nibbled at my feet a few times, ran after Shawn a couple of times, and nudged up again Ali once or twice.  Our host told us how he bought certain camels, raised and sold others who had won many races for him. It is obvious that he does this for fun and not for income purposes. United Nation’s representative Jean Cristoph Bathe asked many times in different ways how do they made any money off of the camels, especially if gambling is not allowed in the country.  But our host would simply smile and laugh….we stopped at “the house” to watch some of the camel races. I guess this was simply a teaser before we actually went to the track. The house didn’t look like a home from the outside, but once we entered, it had an entertainment room (with pool table, exercise equipment), kitchen, bathroom, and just the essentials. It felt good to get out of the 36 degree weather.  Little did I know, but French correspondent and Fellow classmate Nabila asked me to film the camel race and an interview with our host and staff.

check out the start of the race --> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wer9ZPp7wzs

So, the came race is one you have to witness. Like a horse race, they come to a gate and burst out once the gate doors are open.  The camels are “encouraged” to run faster by the jockey sitting on its back. However, the jockey is no larger than 13 inches in height. It is a robot with a whip that moves in a circular fashion controlled by the owner riding alongside the track in a bus or car. <insert video>. Again, something you have to watch for yourself to believe it.

And then, it was off to Al Jazeera Television – the international news channel network. THe name refers to the Arabian peninsula, the network's geographic origin. The value in this visit was understanding how the network was created, how it is different from others, and its significance in the MENA region. We met with the CEO who described how the network approaches real world events and broadcasts that reality. There was some debate between a Fellow and the CEO as it whether the editorial process compromises the truth of the event. A healthy debate is always good, right?

Well, the final leg in the day was dinner back at the hotel (kinda boring, right??) and some packing for the flight back to Los Angeles beginning Saturday morning (1235am)

 

 

Phase 8 Qatar

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Today’s agenda –

8am-12pm   Qatar Foundation

1230 - 130pm Silatech

  2:00 - 6:00pm Qatar Museum of Islamic Art

  7:30pm Dinner at Ministers CLub

The Qatar Foundation can somewhat be described in the same category of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation – “limitless” financial resources with targeted giving areas. The Qatar Foundation has established a number of initiatives to raise the level of awareness and competency of the area’s educational, research, and business resources.  We visited Georgetown and Northwestern University campuses, met with Qatar Foundation representatives, and walked the huge campus that includes a research complex, the university campuses, and a few more NGOs that makeup Education City……very impressive indeed. The representatives at each stop described a community that is still growing (e.g. Georgetown graduated its first class last year = 74 members) but growing its partnership base at a rapid pace. They are all eager to attract the best and brightest minds to the area to help put Qatar on the map. 

Phase V - Qatar

Phase 5 Onto Qatar

Wednesday March 17, 2010

11pm – A full day of activities and visits….below is the agenda, but a quick observation is that money can definitely be seen everywhere. The downtown building architecture is amazing, there are the expensive cars, upscale homes, and the clothes that people wear are dressed to impress.

8-9am Reception at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

10-11am Qatar Center for Interfaith Dialogue

12-130pm Qatar Center for Islamic Enlightment

330-6pm Leadership Academy

7pm  Souk Waqif Art Center

 

Having the chance to meet with Minister of Foreign Affairs was special. He was down to earth after just flying in from Vietnam. He only had 5 minutes for us, but when asked what message he wanted us to bring back to the West, his answer was to convey that “we are a peaceful people who don’t react to other’s perceptions of us. We ask that you visit our country/land/home and make a decision for yourself”.  The 2 Center visits were educational too, especially the Interfaith Dialogue Center. Below are snapshots of men who wrote another copy of the Quran; in calligraphy. The maximum number pages that could be done is 2 pages per day. An impressive piece of work. <>

Finally, dinner at the Souk which had a number of different market stands, restaurants,….it made me think of The Grove in Los Angeles. And with the weather being a pleasant 80 degrees   

 

 

Tuesday March 16, 2010

9am – We arrived in Le Claire airport in Cairo and simply waiting around for the connecting flight to Doha, Qatar.  A few of us grabbed some breakfast (3 orange juice glasses) and chatted about politics, sports, the Olympics, and traveling. Keep in mind that the group consisted of an American, Canadian, and a French woman. Meanwhile, in the background on a television was the image of rappers decked out in gold chains, ripped t-shirts, and scantily-clad women dancing to a beat. I thought to myself, “geez…now that is a great image for all to judge Americans by..”<that was sarcasm> Oh…time to jump on that flight….

 

12pm – I’m finally sitting on the flight with some extra leg-room. A funny scene on the last flight included the “Air-Marshall” tucking in an older couple with blankets and pillows…and then, a flight attendant smoking a cigarette.

As soon as we stepped off the plane, we were whisked away by the Foreign Minister of Policy…or rather his team picked up our luggage, guided us to the VIP room, served us tea and refreshments. And ultimately, on to the Doha Hotel

 

Phase 4 Last day in Morocco

Monday March 15, 2010 930am – 1145pm

It started as an easy day with a wakeup call ~8am. The plan is to checkout form the hotel, attend 2 “brief” presentations, hang-out in Rabat until we head to the airport ~730pm and then jump on an 1145pm light to Doha (connection in Cairo).

The “Debate Session” at 930am was with Members of the Creative Women Organization who had been honored by the United Nations for creative and inspiring contemporary art in 2009. The next set of presentations were held at the Council of the Moroccan Community Abroad. Our meeting was with the Director General who described why the group was created  - to respond to the concerns of Moroccans abroad. The organization prioritizes Moroccan emigration priorities with special attention to issues faced by female and young Moroccan emigres.  The next stop was the Academy of the Kingdom of Morocco. The Academy was established by the King 15-20 years ago to concentrate and advice on matters of interest to the Kingdom. Yes, I know….very broad….but essentially the group identifies topics/issues of interest, debate on the subject matter, and present (to the Kingdom) the issue for discussion with the Academy’s recommendations for further action.

The rest of the afternoon was spent at the markets doing a bit of shopping, eating lunch, and resting for the red eye flight.

 

 

 

Phase IV (continued) - Fez City

Saturday, March 13, 2010 630am…road trip to Al Akhawayn University (Ifrane) I am not one to complain about the weather, but this morning’s session was a bit rough. The 530am wake-up call didn’t bother me. The 2 minute breakfast on the go wasn’t a problem. The 3+ hour bus ride to the University was doable (since I slept for 95% of it). But stepping out of the bus and having a cool 10 MPH breeze hit you in the face at 57 degrees is a problem. Really, I think the combination of all those factors coupled with a walking tour of the University made it really tough to concentrate. But, enough complaining….here are the details –
Al Akhawayn University is the only English-medium University in Morocco. AUI literally means The Two Brothers’ University which refers to the King of Morocco. It is located 60km from the imperial city of Fez, in the midst of the Middle Atlas Mountain. The University was largely funded by the King of Saudi Arabia. After the tour of the University and meeting with current students to discuss student clubs and life on the campus, we met with the Mayor of Fez. The Mayor was very charming, gracious, and genuinely happy to see us. The Mayor really rolled out the red carpet for us with gifts, a reception, and later lunch.
Next on the agenda was a tour of Fez City 630pm…back on the bus for our 4 hour ride to the hotel (long trip!) Friday, March 12 2010 9am ISESCO Headquarters ISESCO (Islamic International Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization) was official created in 1979. It is one of the largest international Islamic organizations and specializes in the fields of education, science, and culture. Its objectives include strengthening and promoting and consolidating cooperation among Member States (OIC) in the fields of education, science, culture and communication, developing applied sciences and use of advanced technology, consolidating understanding among Muslim peoples, and contributing to the achievement of world peace and security, particularly through education, science, culture and communication.
ISESCO rolled out the REALLY RED carpet for us. The media including reporters and photographers were on hand, conducting interviews with us….asking about our objectives within AoCIF. The Director General welcomed us and discussed the organization, current initiatives, and challenges and opportunities in the Middle East. I liked the Director General’s message and theme of pushing across the notion that we need to think of ourselves as human beings and not one specific culture vs another, gender vs gender, etc. He respects that everyone needs to have freedom of speech but not at the expense of another person’s dignity or respect. 1130am..The Mohamed Mausoleum
This was definitely worth the visit. The Mausoleum is the final resting place of 3 significant members of the royal family. Every Friday at noon, prayer is observed at the Mausoleum. We watched as hundreds of people (primarily men) descended on the building. Guards were strategically placed…more for show…but obviously symbolic of the event. 430pm The Royal Institute for Amazigh Culture A 1 hour chat with officials at the Royal Institute for Amazigh Culture – an academic institute of the Moroccan government in charge with safeguarding and promotion of the Amazigh culture. The Institute is committed to offer opinion and advice to the Moroccan king about the measures that would maintain the Amazigh languages and culture and to promote them in all their forms. AN interesting history and large agenda for years to come. 530pm Advisory Council for Human Rights (CCDH) 630pm Dinner hosted by ISESCO Representatives of ISESCO invited us to dinner to continue our discussion about the organization’s initiatives locally and overseas.

Phase IV (continued)

Saturday, March 12 545AM Yesterday was a very long day and today will be the same. It was really good with some fantastic speakers and experiences. I will write more later but take a look at this dish/dessert....1 of 4 in a main course
And a few more random photos from throughout the day with explanation tomorrow:

Phase IV: Morocco

Thursday March 11, 2010 430am-5pm Even though the day ended early, the early morning wake-up call for the airport wasn't easy. I have mastered the art of sleeping anywhere now....I slept all the way to the airport...and that was where the adventure really started. My luggage was over weight by 10 pounds...I won't tell you how much that cost me after haggling to get the original fee of $15/lb reduced. THen it was onto the customs official which just simply took too much time. It's like standing in the grocery line and deciding to switch for a shorter line, only to find out that the person wants to pay a $34 grocery bill..in pennies!! Know what I mean? Anyway, after the family of 5 were done....I had my book stamped and now onto the gate. Again, seemed simple, but the woman in front was trying to "sneak" a few liquid items on the plane. But unlike US airport gates, over here you must walk through another metal detector just to sit down. When the official opened her purse, it was like she had 3 large coke bottles in it. Once I was able to walk through the detector and sit down, things started to slow down. I finally walked onto the plane, sat down, and immediately went to sleep for a good 4 hours....ahhh that felt good.
After landing and retrieving our bags, we arrived at Hotel Rabat 2 hours later (via bus). A few of us went to grab some food at a nearby restaurant. AMong the many tasty dishes, you can see the Couscous with rack of lamb and veggies. The rest of the day/evening is our own to explore the city and prepare for tomorrow. I'm checking out to gather my items and organize my questions for tomorrow's speakers.

Phase III: Last day in Egypt...... onto Morocco

Wednesday March 10, 2010 630am-10pm Alexandria A very long day on the road……3.5 hour road trip in the “magic bus” to get to Alexandria. The purpose was to visit with Bibliotheca Alexandria. I will write more about it tomorrow b/c I have a 330am wake-up call for a 430am trip to the airport… flying to Morocco. Needless to say though, the facility is quite amazing and is a notch above the the UCLA facilities to shame. Bibliotheca Alexandria’s Digital Library Projects are large in scale and scope including a copy of every website ever created in a certain period (1987-1997??)
Tuesday March 9 10am-230pm League of Arab States Quite a long period to sit in 1 seat for 3 speakers. But we survived on tea and croissants (some chocolate flavored). Definitely room for improvement when planning the logistics for this segment, but the content was much more engaging this time. First on the docket was D. Iman Bibars – VP at Ashoka a global organization that accelerates social change by identifying and investing in leading social entrepreneurs. She is very outspoken and isn’t shy about saying so. The main theme in this discussion was gender focused. Dr. Bibars described the difficulty associated with having no female judges in Egypt until 2005. The change in social climate towards women with respect to harassment. She described how men were very protective of the women who lived in their neighborhood. But today, that is not the case, which has forced some dynamic changes including women not riding public transportation for fear of being harassed. Another issue is how women don’t seem to have an identity in the region because they typically must either marry and assume their husband’s name or they have their name of their father’s identity card. But again, the woman doesn’t have any sort of paperwork (e.g. birth certificate). Another topic was the borqa and scarf. Dr. Bibars suggested the scarf is more about modesty as opposed to religion. I can write another 4-5 paragraphs about the discussion, but the short version is that people need to really understand the Quran and Islamic faith. The 2nd speaker really pushed the discussion of Egypt’s social environment (for at least 90 minutes); D. Heba El Khouly – PhD in Anthropolgy and Sociology at School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London and a Masters degree in development Sociology from Cornell University. Dr. Kholy spoke on – ➢ some women can’t drive or vote ➢ how trust and fear are holding back international companies from taking advantage of opportunities in the Arab world. ➢ Why Tunisia is the best socioeconomic country in the region with the highest % of GDP spending on education The 3rd speaker was the best lecturer in my opinion. Shahinaz Ahmed, CEO – Education for Employment – described an organization that is a mirror copy of The Riordan Programs at UCLA Anderson. The major difference is that her company specifically helps students obtain jobs. Her presentation sounded as if I was standing on stage delivering information on how we enroll students, how we define success, using pilot programs to provide proof of concept, etc. Shahinaz will be in NY later this year and I hope to connect with her. In the mean time, I planted the seed that we should connect our students to exchange communications (via email) since they come from somewhat similar background with no role model having gone to college.
The night ended with dinner at Abou El Sid-Maadi to meet a group of journalists, educators, software engineers, and online bloggers. 10pm and we are out of there! Monday March 8 8am-1pm: We visited Al Azhar Mosque to bear witness to the environment and activities of a mosque. The Al Azhar Mosque serves as a school as well. We were fortunate to watch as rooms of men/boys and (separate) rooms of women/girls listened to the lesson of the day. It is not your typical school with desks and chairs. It is a room (with 4 walls and a roof) where the participants sit on the floor and the teacher has a chalkboard. On another note, prayer (starting at 12pm) is dominated by men. Dr. Maryam Al Haraky - appointed as Lecturer by the ministry of Awqaf in Thawra Mosque, Dar Al Arqam Mosque, A-Sayeda Zeinab Mosque, and Azhar Mosque – provided a brief lecture on Islam to address the issue of Islam and the West. Dr. Haraky has an impressive resume – BA Economics at the American University in Beirut, MA in Arabic and Islamic Studies at the American University in Cairo, and currently pursuing her PhD at Al-Azhar University. Dr. Haraky spoke on the role of Muslim women and the teaching of Islam. 2-4pm we jumped on the “magic bus” for a reception at the British Council, Cairo. It was a welcomed event after an extremely warm day “in the field”. The Brits never cease to amaze me. The group put on a great spread of food and drinks to refresh our spirits. Of course there were a few brief presentations. Again, I am surprised how the local Egyptian culture is described as one that fears the government, is somewhat content with the social and economic affairs for the majority, and the need for change but the lack of drive to make change happen. The facility seemed to be an oasis of sorts because you would never imagine that directly outside would be gridlock traffic, large-scale unemployment (~25%), and acceptance that the government is corrupt. 5-10pm Back on “Magic” and onto dinner at Sequoia. The layout reminds me of the LA scene with the low lighting, Nile river in the background, sudo heat lamps, music in the background ,etc. We are meeting with the entrepreneurs from a company called Endeavor Egypt- trying to bring the entrepreneurship spirit to Egypt. Endeavor Egypt is hosting a conference beginning today to connect entrepreneurs with some of the services that the company offers as well as an exchange of information and ideas for small businesses (sales $1M-2M). Another long day but a great program and cast of “characters” to follow up with later.

The pyramids!!! More details tomorrow....I am going to bed (~2am) to get ready for a 6am bus to Alexandria!

The pyramids!!! More details tomorrow....I am going to bed (~2am) to get ready for a 6am bus to Alexandria!

Phase II - on the ground in Cairo

It’s Tuesday morning and quite a bit has happened since the last posting:

Saturday – I arrived in Cairo with 3 other AoCIF members coming from Berlin, Austria, and Dallas. We definitely have an all-star roster of talent including journalists, lawyers, lobbyists, and entrepreneurs to name a few.  After finally getting the luggage, we met with our handler Lamis and eventually drove to the hotel. Traffic (at 1140pm) reminds me of Los Angeles…..it is bad no matter what time of the day.  A quick bite to eat and off to bed (~130am)

 

Sunday – Very good agenda…we met with Amabssador Youssef – Chief of Cabinet of the Secretary General of the League of Arab States. We had a fantastic discussion about President Obama, Israel-Palestine relations, efforts by the Arab States to improve relations between the West and Middle East, cultural exchanges involving the arts, and much much more. I found his comments about the President’s efforts since the speech in Cairo to be interesting…..saying that the Middle East is still waiting for the US to make good on its promises (e.g. Entrepreneurship Conference, improved education efforts for women). Also, his history lesson about the Middle East and Palestine had everyone leaning on the edge of their seats. The Ambassador said that everyone should make their calendars for a time period in July (4 months) where there should be major revelations coming.

We crammed into our traveling van…off to the Ameican University in Cairo to witness the campus that was built on the outskirts of the crammed city of Cairo. Dr. Naela Hamdy, Chair of Mass Communications and Journalism Department,did shed light on the evolution of media in the area. She described a culture that just witnessed within the last 5-10 years,  the freedom of speech being exercised  in a stronger fashion. While there are 3 groups of owners amoung the newspaper (govt. owner, private owned, and party owned), they all are somewhat manipulated by the government. And, the expansion from 3 state owned television stations to a satellite system with over 450 channels has brought a wave of criticism about how the government operates and the “crack downs” it enforces have produced a sense of fear of the government by the people. Ultimately, no one has decided (as of yet) to stand up to the injustices lived every day.

Finally, off to the pyramids…..we had a late jump so we will return on Tuesday. I hope to write more.

Monday – a really packed schedule that included a mosque, meeting at the British Council, and a networking opportunity with local entrepreneurs

Phase I - Leaving Los Angeles

I am on the “other side of the marathon” now. Literally, I had a long running packing session beginning Wednesday evening and finishing Friday morning.  Like attending business school, you can’t really describe the feeling unless you actually go through it. I mean, how does one pack for 16 days on the road between 3 countries 7 cities, 3 different weather patterns, and keeping up with a growing 2-year old?  But I am not alone, many of the AoCIF participants were in the same boat. I am looking forward to meeting all of them since our relationship has been defined by Face Book’s functionality and limitations. But until such time, I have settled into an old lifestyle – consulting – not forgotten…and not missed. What I mean is the rigorous activity of travelling in today’s “high security alert” that requires you to strip down and then pack up again and again. The ride to the airport was non-adventurous…Tom Bradley Terminal didn’t seem any different than when I walked through on my way to Aruba. But the stripping off shoes, unpacking computers, etc. is exhausting.

 

11pm Friday (somewhere over the Atlantic near Iceland) – it’s your standard flight….packed but not too crowded.  I have a good “combo deal” working right now…..Bailey&coffee along with the audio book (via iTUnes) President Obama’s Dreams of My Father and the Audacity of Hope narrated by the President himself.

 

1259pm Saturday (local time Frankfurt Airport)

Thank goodness for Apple, IBM, Bose, and all those other entertainment, media, computer companies that helped make my 11 hour flight seem like a 1-hour time slot. It also helps that I dozed off a couple of times. And another testament to McDonald’s being a global player. As soon as I stepped off the plane, McCafe was there in front of me. I shooped around for alternative choices, but didn’t feel like a German sausage, beer, or pizza. However, I will also hit the Haagen Daas stand before I get on the flight ot Cairo. Time to finish reading 1 of my mentor’s books The Hidden Secrets of TSL by William Ouchi. I love the Kindle…it definitely has lightened my load…at least by 4 books and plenty of Economist articles on North Africa and the Middle East.