1. Conferences and debates

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Dialogues on Open Societies. 4. The good neighbor policy with the Mediterranean Play

Dialogues on Open Societies. 4. The good neighbor policy with the Mediterranean

Published at 28 07,,, 19 2019
The Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean, Nasser Kamel, is taking part in another session of the series Dialogues on Open Societies. It will be taking place in Madrid on Thursday, February 21. Nasser Kamel will be taking part in a conversation with Senén Florensa, Spain’s Ambassador/Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office and other International Bodies in Vienna. The event will be presented by Pedro Martínez-Avial, the General Director of Casa Árabe. Regional cooperation and dialogue form the foundation for dealing with the major challenges faced in the Mediterranean Basin from the perspective of stability, human safety, the environment and a reactivation of the economy. The Union for the Mediterranean, with its twenty-eight EU members and fifteen countries from the southern shores, as a direct heir to the Barcelona Process (1995), is in a unique position to seek opportunities and strengthen the good neighbor and integration policy. The role of women in society, transportation, energy, industry, the environment and employment are just parts of the common agendas to be analyzed by the Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean, Nasser Kamel, in his talk with Ambassador Senén Florensa, Chairman of the Delegate Commission of the European Institute of the Mediterranean (IEMed). The series Dialogues on Open Societies is an initiative of Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the European Union and Cooperation, with the cooperation of Casa Árabe. Nasser Kamel is the Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean. A career diplomat of the Egyptian government, he held the position of Ambassador of Egypt in the United Kingdom from 2014 to 2018, and was the Ambassador to France from 2006 to 2012, during which time he took part in the drafting of the Paris Summit Declaration of 2008, which marked the launching of the Union for the Mediterranean. From 2004 through 2006, he was the director of Egypt’s Public Information Service. Before holding that position, he worked at various embassies, including those in Washington (1984-1988), Lisbon (1990-1994), Tunis (1994-1998), Brussels (1999-2001) and Paris (2001-2004). Kamel studied Political Science at the University of Brussels and at the University of Cairo’s School of Economic and Political Science. Senén Florensa is currently Spain’s Ambassador/Permanent Representative to the Office of the United Nations and other International Bodies in Vienna. He was Spain’s Consul General in Rome from 2017 to 2018 and Spain’s Ambassador to Tunisia from 2000 to 2004. He was the Director General and later Executive President of the European Institute of the (IEMed) from 2006 through 2017. He is the director of the journal afkar/ideas and of the Mediterranean Yearbook published by IEMed. He was the president of the World Congress of Middle East and North Africa Studies (WOCMES) in 2010, the Secretary of International and European Affairs of the Autonomous Regional Government of Catalonia and a member of the Organizing Committee of the Barcelona Olympic Games in 1992. More info: http://en.casaarabe.es/event/“dialogues-on-open-societies”-series-of-conferences#14418

ALL VIDEOS IN THIS CATEGORY

  • Seminar "Integration of Muslims in Europe". Session 4 (5/5)Show video

    Seminar "Integration of Muslims in Europe". Session 4 (5/5)

    Casa Árabe and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation organized this seminar for November 17, 2017 at which the institutional frameworks and practical experiences of different countries on the continent were analyzed. SESSION 4. Perception and portrayal of European Muslims. Stefano Allievi, International Forum for Democracy & Religions Virtudes Téllez, Study Group on Arab and Muslim Societies (GRESAM) Moderated by: Ana I. Planet, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid-UAM More info: http://en.casaarabe.es/event/integration-of-muslims-in-europe
    Published at 07 12,,, 17 2017
  • Seminar "Integration of Muslims in Europe". Session 3 (4/5)Show video

    Seminar "Integration of Muslims in Europe". Session 3 (4/5)

    Casa Árabe and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation organized this seminar for November 17, 2017 at which the institutional frameworks and practical experiences of different countries on the continent were analyzed. SESSION 3. Models and practical experiences for integration. Jonas Alwall, University of Malmö Corinne Torrekens, Université Libre de Bruxelles Jordi Moreras, Universitat Rovira i Virgili Moderated by: Karim Hauser, Casa Árabe More info: http://en.casaarabe.es/event/integration-of-muslims-in-europe
    Published at 05 12,,, 17 2017
  • Seminar "Integration of Muslims in Europe". Session 2 (3/5)Show video

    Seminar "Integration of Muslims in Europe". Session 2 (3/5)

    Casa Árabe and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation organized this seminar for November 17, 2017 at which the institutional frameworks and practical experiences of different countries on the continent were analyzed. SESSION 2. Adapting to new challenges. Vit Novotny, Martens Centre Gemma Pinyol Jiménez, Universidad Pompeu Fabra Sol Tarrés, University of Huelva Moderated by: Puerto García, Fundación Pluralismo y Convivencia More info: http://en.casaarabe.es/event/integration-of-muslims-in-europe
    Published at 02 12,,, 17 2017
  • Seminar "Integration of Muslims in Europe". Session 1 (2/5)Show video

    Seminar "Integration of Muslims in Europe". Session 1 (2/5)

    Casa Árabe and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation organized this seminar for November 17, 2017 at which the institutional frameworks and practical experiences of different countries on the continent were analyzed. SESSION 1. European legal frameworks in the field of migration. Mohammed Aziz, Director of the Aziz Foundation and a Fellow of Faiths and Civil Society Unit, Goldsmiths, University of London Stephan Hinghofer-Szalkay, University of Graz Ángeles Solanes Corella, University of Valencia Moderated by: Héctor Cebolla, UNED More info: http://en.casaarabe.es/event/integration-of-muslims-in-europe
    Published at 00 12,,, 17 2017
  • Seminar "Integration of Muslims in Europe". Opening (1/5)Show video

    Seminar "Integration of Muslims in Europe". Opening (1/5)

    Casa Árabe and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation organized this seminar for November 17, 2017 at which the institutional frameworks and practical experiences of different countries on the continent were analyzed. The continent of Europe has experienced a series of migratory waves in the twentieth century which have redefined its demographic, ethnic and religious makeup. At the same time, the transformation of the EEC into the EU and its later expansion have allowed for unprecedented movement by people. Though the diversity of today’s Europeans is enormous, it is of interest to take a closer look at the case of communities originating from countries with a Muslim majority. It was estimated in the year of 2010 that the European Union was home to approximately 13 million Muslim immigrants. The history of the EU’s members as societies taking in refugees varies greatly and includes many nuances. In France, the Muslims of a foreign origin come mostly from its former French colonies of Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. Similarly, in the United Kingdom, the mark left behind by colonialism has meant a greater presence of Muslims from the Indian subcontinent and from Africa. In contrast, Germany’s Muslims consist mainly of Turkish immigrants and their descendants, though they also include many who were born in Kosovo, Iraq, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Morocco. In Spain, immigration has developed along with the economic, social and demographic changes which the country has undergone in just a short period of time, especially after the processes of democratization and the country’s later membership in the EEC in 1986. Added to all of this has been the recent influx of refugees, mainly from Syria, Afghanistan and West Africa. The contact which has been produced with such diversity has modified certain institutional and social parameters, while at the same time contributing organizational community structures. In the words of Oliver Roy, the Law ends up constructing a “legal form of the religious,” without going so far as defining it based on its content. As for the Islamic religion and its registered institutions, they have assumed this discourse in the sense that they feel legitimized by their legal status, while at the same time claiming their place within the public space. Understanding the way in which regulatory frameworks have been defined to produce greater or lesser inclusiveness of Arabs and Muslims in European societies is essential in today’s context of major migratory pressure and increasing Islamophobia. At the same time, it is advisable to analyze, beyond just the legal context, the successful experiences in the field of integration so as to identify good practices and create recommendations for the future. In summary, the seminar organized by Casa Árabe and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation proposes an analysis of different European legal systems, as well as sharing local experiences and practices. Each session will seek to complete comparative analyses of several countries in the EU, with both European and Spanish speakers. The goal is to spur debate, provide information and potentially influence the formulation of public policies. Opening session. Migration and diversity management. Institutional presentations: José Antonio Nieto Ballesteros, State Secretary of the Interior. Regina Jordan, Director of Integration and Social Cohesion, Germany’s Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (pending confirmation) Wilhelm Hofmeister, director of the Office for Spain and Portugal, Konrad Adenauer Foundation Pedro Martínez-Avial, General Director, Casa Árabe Presentation: Anna Terrón, Instrategies More info: http://en.casaarabe.es/event/integration-of-muslims-in-europe
    Published at 57 12,,, 17 2017