Amman, May 17, 2014 – Audiences at two public debates in Amman this week will discuss the turmoil in Egypt just days before the country elects a new head of state, following the army’s removal last year of President Mohamed Morsi.
The event, organised by the New Arab Debates (NAD), a high-profile regional platform, will argue the motion: “Egypt is a disappointment to the rest of the Arab world”.
British television journalist Tim Sebastian, who founded the NAD in early 2011, will moderate the English session on Monday, May 19, with Manar Rachwani, editor of the opinion pages at al-Ghad newspaper arguing for the motion. Speaking against the motion is Senator Hani Al-Mulki, Jordan’s former foreign minister and ambassador to Egypt.
A day later, former BBC radio and television journalist Dima Hamdan will present the Arabic version. Speaking for the motion is Dr. Nabil Al Kofahi, who has been dismissed by Jordan’s Muslim Brotherhood for joining “Zamzam” initiative, a moderate movement calling for reform within the Islamist organisation. Arguing against the motion is Senator Saleh Qallab, a former minister of information and leading pan-Arab political commentator.
Sebastian says he would have liked to hold a similar debate in Egypt, but the banning of the Muslim Brotherhood had made it impossible to seek the views of its former members in a public forum.
“We try to make our debates as inclusive as possible, ” he said. “If one group is prevented from speaking, the event might appear biased or slanted. In Jordan, anyone can participate, so it’s a good opportunity to guage Arab reaction to the events in Egypt. Are people heartened or disappointed by what they have seen there? Did the army save the country from disaster, or create more problems? We hope the answers will give us a valuable insight into the mood in the Arab world as it decides the direction of its political transition.”
The NAD encompasses an extensive outreach campaign in schools and universities, aimed at encouraging young people to participate in political life. It is funded by the Norwegian and British governments.
Both debates will be transmitted for the third year on Deutsche Welle TV in English and Arabic along with its global and regional network of partners including Egypt’s ONTV, Ro’ya TV in Jordan, Hanibal in Tunisia, and Watan TV in Ramallah.