ALLIANCE OF EGYPTIAN AMERICANS
FIFTH ANNUAL CONFERENCE ANNOUNCEMENT

The Horizon for Peaceful Transition toward Democracy in Egypt:
The Forthcoming Presidential Election – Challenges and Opportunities

The Alliance of Egyptian Americans “AEA” is a US based non-profit, non- governmental organization dedicated to empowering Egyptian Americans to promote true democracy, sustainable development, and social justice in Egypt. The AEA is holding its 5th annual conference Friday-Sunday, Sept 17-19, 2010 at the National 4-H Youth Conference Center in the Nation’s Capitol*.

The conference proceedings will focus on ways to open up the clogged political process and secure “free and fair” Presidential elections in Egypt. Participants will examine and identify ways to empower Egyptians to: change Article 76 of the Egyptian Constitution; restore Egyptian voters’ confidence in the forth-coming Egyptian Presidential election; examine the possibility of forming an independent election commission whereby all political parties are represented on equal footing in that Commission; and to insure “free and fair” election process. The conference proceedings will be conducted mostly in interactive formats (town hall meetings, round tables and workshops).
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Several noted American and Egyptian public figures have confirmed their participation in the Conference, including: Dr. Mohamed El Baradie (via video), Ayman Nour, Chairman of Al Ghad party; Dr. Usama El-Ghazali Harb, Chairman of the Democratic Front Party; Mohammad Anwar Sadat, Chairman of the Development and Reform Party (under construction); Michele Dunne, senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and editor of the online journal, the Arab Reform Bulletin, Dr. Samer Shehata, Assistant professor, Georgetown University, Dr. Abdel-Moneim Abu El-Fotouh, member of the Executive Bureau of the Muslim Brotherhood (by satellite video). George Ishaaq, Kefaya Movement; Samir Eleish, Chairman of “My Vote is My Demand” Organization; Mesbah Qutb, Senior Editor of the daily Al Dastour newspaper; Khaled Youssef, renowned movie director; Mohammad Nousair, Egyptian-American Friendship Association; Margaret Azir, Vice President of the Democratic Front Party; Sarah Mohammad Kamal and Mostafa El-Naggar, Youth of the Egyptian Change Movement.

The following notables have been invited but not confirmed: Mr. Gamal Mubarak, chairman of the NDP’s policies committee and Dr. Moufied Shehab Minister of State for Parliamentary and Legal Affairs and NDP’s Assistant Secretary, Cofman Wittes, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, US Dept. of State, Jon B. Alterman, director and senior fellow of the Middle Eastern Program at the Center for Strategic & international Studies, David Ignatius, Associate Editor & Columnist, Washington Post.

For program updates & further information, please visit our website www.aeamisr.org or contact:
Mr. Mahmoud ElShazely, President, AEA, mahmoud@aeamisr.org (203)813-6252
Dr. Ahmed Gaith, Conference Planning Committee Secretary General, am_gaith@cox.net (703) 472-1294
Dr. Ibrahim Hussein, Vice President, Mid Atlantic Chapter, imihussein@gmail.com (301) 613-7337
Dr. Amin Mahmoud, AEA Executive, aeamisr@hotmail.com (202)276-4940
Ms. Hanan El Badry, elbadry@att.net

For media-related information, please contact:
English Media: Mokhtar Kamel mokhtarkamel@hotmail.com (703)-501-1398
Arabic Media: Sabry Elbaga, s.albaga@yahoo.com (323) 345-1586