Latest news with #Civilizational
Middle East Eye
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
US to slash nearly all funding for overseas pro-democracy initiatives: Report
The US State Department has been advised to cut nearly $1.3bn in grants for global pro-democracy initiatives, according to a report in The Guardian on Thursday. The move would cut approximately 80 percent of programmes that sit under the Bureau for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labour (DRL), except for two programmes that operate in China and Yemen. The State Department oversees the DRL. The overhaul was reportedly outlined in a foreign assistance review produced by the Office of Management and Budget and would impact 391 active grants. The review was seen by three State Department officials, who were sourced by The Guardian. Such programmes fund pro-democracy activists or communities overseas in places like Cuba and Venezuela, with little information on these initiatives available, as the State Department fears it will put involved individuals in danger. According to the State Department website, DRL was created in 1977 to 'help advance individual liberty and democratic freedoms around the world' and supports people who wish 'to live in freedom and under democratic governments as a means of combating terrorism and the spread of authoritarianism'. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters The report went on to say that a new senior adviser to DRL recommended using funds earmarked by Congress to cover key administration projects, such as the resettlement of White South African refugees to the US, and to support the legal defence of right-wing French politician Marine Le Pen. It is currently unclear whether DRL will follow the recommendations. The senior adviser providing the recommendations, as outlined in a DRL white paper, is a recent college graduate named Samuel Samson, according to the report. Samson is one of a number of young people to rise under the Trump administration, and his recommendations reflect a change in how the US is approaching foreign intervention. Samson recently wrote a controversial post on the State Department's Substack page, titled 'The Need for Civilizational Allies in Europe', in which he criticises Europe for having 'developed into a hotbed of digital censorship, mass migration, restrictions on religious freedom and numerous other assaults on democratic self-governance'. State Department cuts In April, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced he was restructuring the State Department by cutting jobs and scaling back human rights offices. "The Department is bloated, bureaucratic and unable to perform its essential diplomatic mission in this new era of great-power competition," Rubio said in a statement, referring to the US rivalry with China. Middle East activists unable to relocate and survive after Trump's USAID cuts Read More » "The sprawling bureaucracy created a system more beholden to radical political ideology than advancing America's core national interests." One key change will be the elimination of a division in charge of "civilian security, democracy and human rights", the statement went on to say. It will be replaced by a new office of "coordination for foreign assistance and humanitarian affairs" that will absorb the functions of the US Agency for International Development (USAID). The agency was gutted by the newly minted Department of Government Efficiency at the start of the Trump administration. The cuts at USAID eliminated more than 80 percent of programmes. The new office will oversee a bureau on democracy, human rights and religious freedom - a shift from the current democracy, human rights and labour bureau, which included advocacy for workers' rights overseas. In an opinion piece, Rubio aired grievances about previous work within the bureau, including its unsuccessful internal push to restrict weapons sales to Israel on human rights grounds. "The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor became a platform for left-wing activists to wage vendettas against 'anti-woke' leaders in nations such as Poland, Hungary and Brazil, and to transform their hatred of Israel into concrete policies such as arms embargoes," he wrote in the piece on Substack. Almost 3,400 employees are set to be laid off at any time now. Withering US soft power Since President Donald Trump took office, he has been eroding the traditional pillars of American diplomacy and soft power worldwide. Middle East Eye reported on the impact of the initial USAID cuts on 1.8 million Sudanese experiencing famine. Food boxes sent by the US were rotting in warehouses because the agency no longer provided the necessary funds for actual distribution. Since 1946, the Middle East and North Africa have been the biggest recipients of US financial assistance. Between April 2023 and April 2024, Congress appropriated approximately $9bn for the region. While most of the aid went towards military assistance, a fraction was funnelled into democracy programmes via USAID and the National Endowment for Democracy, a quasi-autonomous agency funded largely by the US Congress. MEE reported in May that the Trump cuts to USAID have already impacted human rights defenders in the region who were reliant on the small grants to relocate and resettle abroad.
See - Sada Elbalad
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- See - Sada Elbalad
South Korea and Egypt Celebrate 30 Years of Diplomatic Relations with Cultural Symposium and colorful Performances
Basant Ahmed In celebration of the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between South Korea and Egypt, a landmark cultural and arts exchange symposium to be held on April 30, 2025, at the Oriental Hall of the American University in Cairo (AUC). Under the slogan '5,000 Years of Civilizational Dialogue,' the event will take place from 2:00 PM to 5:30 PM and aims to foster deeper mutual understanding and long-term cultural cooperation between the two historic civilizations. The event will be hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, in collaboration with the Korea Foundation for International Cultural Exchange (KOFICE) and the Federation of Artistic and Cultural Organizations of Korea and jointly organized with the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Egypt. The event aims to deepen cultural and artistic exchanges between the two countries and establish a sustainable foundation for cooperation among artists from both countries. It will consist of three parts: 1. Symposium: 'Dialogue of Five Thousand Years of Civilization' 2. 'Cairo Arts Declaration' 3. Celebration Performance: 'Colorful Korea' The symposium will cover a wide range of topics, including the social role of the arts, art education in the digital age, the future of cities and art, and current cultural cooperation between Korea and Egypt. Presenters emphasized the power art in enhancing the empathy and solidarity and the possibilities for cross-border creative collaboration. Reflecting the solidarity between Korean and Egyptian artists, the second part of the symposium will witness the official launch of the Asia-Africa Artists' Alliance (A3A), a sustainable platform for collaboration among artists from Asia and Africa that mainly seeks to promote cultural exchange and mutual understanding. The celebrations will continue the same evening with a special event titled 'Colorful Korea in Cairo,' to be held at Ewart Memorial Hall, AUC, from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM. Designed to foster understanding of K-culture while expanding the cultural exchanges between the two countries, the performance will feature a vibrant program that showcased the essence of both traditional Korean arts and contemporary popular culture. These events mark a significant milestone in the South Korea–Egypt partnership, underscoring their shared commitment to cultural diplomacy and people-to-people exchange. Kim Yonghyon, Ambassador of the South Korea to Egypt said that 'over 30 years, our nations have transformed cooperation in to tangible progress, and will continue their commitment to a future oriented alliance, levering innovation, and shared values. 'Egypt's vision for sustainable development aligns with Korea's technological expertise will be a synergy that will shape the next decade, ambassador Kim added. '30th anniversary celebrations are a testament to three decades of friendship and a launching platform for future cooperation in all domains,' said Oh Sungho, Director of the Korean Cultural Center in Egypt. 'We aim to create a sustainable model for two-way cultural exchange that will fuel our co-prosperity,' he added. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News Egypt confirms denial of airspace access to US B-52 bombers News Ayat Khaddoura's Final Video Captures Bombardment of Beit Lahia Lifestyle Pistachio and Raspberry Cheesecake Domes Recipe News Australia Fines Telegram $600,000 Over Terrorism, Child Abuse Content Arts & Culture Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban's $4.7M LA Home Burglarized Videos & Features Bouchra Dahlab Crowned Miss Arab World 2025 .. Reem Ganzoury Wins Miss Arab Africa Title (VIDEO) Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Sports Neymar Announced for Brazil's Preliminary List for 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers News Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly Inaugurates Two Indian Companies Arts & Culture New Archaeological Discovery from 26th Dynasty Uncovered in Karnak Temple
