Developments in the Arab region since the Arab Spring of 2011 assumed centre stage at the first-ever Policy Par Là, which took place on 17 September 2014 at Philanthropy House. The event convened an eclectic audience for an open and frank discussion from a number of perspectives and experiences. Guest speaker Atallah Kuttab, an expert on Arab philanthropy specifically and global philanthropy generally, spoke candidly about how the sense of hope that marked the Arab Spring three years ago has not resulted in wholly positive outcomes across the region. While good news stories exist – such as Tunisia’s development of a constitution which is an example to the region - other countries such as Syria have disintegrated into turmoil. Whist this may suggests an absence of hope; actually there’s a strong reservoir of communities hungry for positive social change evident across the region which needs to be understood in context and nurtured. Regimes that once lasted generations have become regimes more appropriately counted in months than years. Why, asked Mr Kuttab, has ‘social justice, freedom and dignity’ - the rallying cry of the protesters - not been successfully addressed in all countries across the region? “People in the street talked about social justice, not human rights. Social justice was the key to success and civil society was a major factor in whether countries in the region developed or failed since 2011.” – Atallah Kuttab In the spirit of the event’s open parlour atmosphere, key points from an animated discussion included: - In 2011 Spring youths in the street called for ‘social justice, freedom and dignity’, but the short lived regimes which followed the uprising failed to deliver on these promises - In 2014 there is a very real chance that territories may disappear as others are being created. Boundaries are being shifted and this is not necessarily a bad thing given that some were unfairly drawn in the first place - Regimes that used to last 40 years now struggle to last 12 months as successive governments fail to quench the thirst for social change - The three main religions are part and parcel of the region’s DNA, and religion can translate into compassion and charity as much as prejudice and exclusion - There is an affinity between the regions of Eastern Mediterranean, North Africa and Europe which are likewise mutually reliant and addressing this is key to success for economic growth and stability across these regions - Funding and its objectives from the West and Europe into the Arab region has the unintended consequence of stifling progress and not leading to rooting positive change; it’s key to work with communities locally to understand their language and basis of change, to interpret the tools being used to cede change and work alongside and with an ever growing successful diaspora – finding common cause - Social media became a platform for social change during the Arab – how media outlets and NGOs can adapt their approach accordingly - People shouldn’t assume that just because one model of philanthropy works in one region that it can be automatically applied to other regions* - there’s a long standing tradition of philanthropy for hundreds of years; it is also growing in different ways by communities financing education, health etc. but it is undertaken in unfamiliar forms and unstructured - Social justice is the key to securing and empowering the region, and this is where civil society can play a vital role and should perhaps be the key to unlock sustainable progress About Policy Par Là EFC’s modern interpretation of the concept of the parloir/parlour, important throughout the centuries as a place for sparking intellectual curiosity and encouraging the exchange of ideas and ideologies. Policy Par Là is a new, provocative and stimulating policy insight series, forming part of EFC’s approach to developing its policy voice and capability. Each Policy Par Là session will be opened by an expert, whose in-depth knowledge of the particular issue in the spotlight, will set the scene. An ‘agent provocateur’ will then stimulate the debate, engaging participants in lively discussions, confronting us with difficult questions, and challenging us on generally accepted ways of addressing the issue.

• published: 19 Sep 2014
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