The Challenge for Democracy in the Middle East:

The Art of the Possible

The challenges for democracy in the Middle East was the focus of a forum that the Albert Shanker Institute conducted on February 6-7 for AFT national, state and local officers and staff as well as AFL-CIO international affairs staff and representatives from the Canadian Labor Congress. This is the third is a series of forums focusing on support for democracy and for independent, democratic trade unions that has been at the heart of the AFT’s international tradition and philosophy for close to 100 years and for which Al Shanker was an outspoken advocate.

The forum stressed the support for democracy and for independent, democratic trade unions that shapes the AFT's international activities, and it challenged participants to help conceive innovative, practical program approaches for the Middle East region. Among the topics covered: a review of the challenges and opportunities for democracy in the region, with a focus on education sector programs; an examination possible approaches and actual programs now under way; and a discussion of the AFT's role, activities and strategies in a region with a minimal trade union presence.

Speakers included AFT president Edward J. McElroy, former Clinton Administration Middle East envoy Dennis Ross and National Endowment for Democracy (NED) president Carl Gershman. In his talk, Ross noted that he is involved in education programs that have the possibility of complementing the AFT's efforts.

In addition, panelists from the AFL-CIO's Solidarity Center, NED and the AFT International Affairs Department discussed their programs. Experts from the United Nations Development Program, the Brookings Institution and the Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy provided both context and counsel for the discussions.

Some of the presenters noted that "democracy" programs have become so associated with the current administration's policies that discussing the concept has become problematic for Arab democrats and their allies, despite the hunger for change by ordinary citizens. Seminar participants offered many suggestions, including the possibility of involving the AFT's Arab-American members, who bring their personal experience with democracy, Arabic language skills and cultural insights to any program activity. (Full agenda, list of participants.)



 

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