The overarching question imparting urgency to this exploration is: Can U.S.-Russian contention in cyberspace cause the two nuclear superpowers to stumble into war? In considering this question we were constantly reminded of recent comments by a prominent U.S. arms control expert: At least as dangerous as the risk of an actual cyberattack, he observed, is cyber operations’ “blurring of the line between peace and war.” Or, as Nye wrote, “in the cyber realm, the difference between a weapon and a non-weapon may come down to a single line of code, or simply the intent of a computer program’s user.”
Movements for political change in the Arab Middle East over the last six-months are changing lives, communities, societies and offering new insights into modes for political change for the wider global community. After years of repression new voices have emerged in Tunisia, Egypt, Barhain, Yemen, Libya and other locations that are diverse and deserve the respect and attention of the international community.
Presentations by:
- Paul Beran, The Egypt Forum, Center for Middle East Studies
- Hilary Rantisi, The Middle East Initiative
- Ehaab Abdou, Nahdet El-Mahrousa, Egypt
- Ruth Allen, Mercy Corps
- Members of the Global Citizen Corps program in Iraq (by video conference). GCC is an initiative of Mercy Corps linking youth in the Arab world with peers in the US and UK for joint learning about global issues like peacebuilding and food security, as well as local service projects, and has provided a forum for youth exchange during this dynamic time of change.
This event invites a conversation, an opportunity to listen to and support these new voices through sharing experiences, hopes and ideas for the future of the region and for its global engagement.
Participating Organizations:
Nahdet El-Mahrousa (NM) is dedicated to positive impact on Egypt's development through engaging Egyptian youth. Founded and led by young professionals, NM encourages youth as active participants in all aspects of shaping Egypt's future. www.nahdetmasr.org
Mercy Corps is a global relief and development organization working in 40 countries with over 19 million people, including in Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Gaza/West Bank, Yemen and Iraq. www.mercycorps.org and www.globalcitizencorps.org
The Outreach Center at the Center for Middle East Studies, Harvard University provides resources and support for educators and the general public on the Middle East region and Islam/Muslim communities. http://cmes.hmdc.harvard.edu/
The Middle East Initiative at the Belfer Center, Harvard University provides effective and innovative professional development and training programs; promoting research on the region; hosting film series, speaker series and other events related to the Middle East region. http://belfercenter.ksg.harvard.edu/project/64/middle_east_initiative.html