Last night's Policy Salon opened my eyes to the Arab World and how complicated bringing democracy to fledgling nations can be. Scott Mastic, the Regional Director for the Middle East and Africa at IRI, was extremely knowledgeable about the nations in the MENA region and offered a detailed explanation of the historical context of these uprising as well as their future progress.
In each case study, one common theme seems to unite all citizens: the hope for a better quality of life, which these days, coincides with a healthy economy. I left the policy salon intrigued about the thirst for democracy worldwide and how citizens of the U.S. can help better the lives of citizens around the world. Today at work, I received a surprise email inviting me to attend a discussion featuring 13 journalists and fellows from Tunisia and Egypt, who were at the Center for American Progress (CAP) to speak out about the uprisings in their countries.
What I had learned last night truly resonated with me, and here I was, listening to firsthand accounts from citizens, journalists, and students. But what truly resonated with me was when a CAP researcher asked: what kind of support do you want from the U.S., in other words, DO you want support? When asked this question, there was an almost unanimous response that while foreign aid and assistance is appreciated, what truly matters is what happens when the U.S. (or other nations) leave. These citizens reiterated that they must believe in their people, that they must believe that change is possible, not in the short run, not in the next year, but in the next five, ten, etc.
Change does not occur overnight, they said, but rather when they can have some time to rebuild and stabilize themselves, eventually emerging as a democratic republic. Foreign aid can help accelerate weakened countries but an internal culture must be established with a clear vision. As one journalist stated, "our present is building our future."
-AMC
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