The Arab Awakening and Safe Conflict

To put it simply, 2011 fundamentally rocked the international system in ways we are only beginning to understand. The United States saw unprecedented political gridlock that nearly brought it to the brink of default. The debt crisis in Europe threatens to tear the Eurozone apart and usher in a new era of economic turmoil on the continent. Kim Jung-Il passed away, leaving the "Hermit Kingdom" in the hands of an untested, inexperienced 27-year-old. Despite these monumental changes, 2011 was defined by the Arab Awakening, a series of revolutions that will define 2012 as well. When The Safe Conflict Project was created only a few years ago, no one could have seen the wave of revolutions and conflicts that swept the Middle East and North Africa. We may even have raised an eyebrow if it had been suggested to us that within one year, Moammar Gadhafi would be ousted and killed, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Tunisian President Zine el Abidine Ben-Ali would be overthrown, and Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad would be waging a brutal war against his own people just to survive. Though the Awakening began more than  a year ago, the revolutions are unfinished. It is a time of immense uncertainty and yet, there has arguably never been a better chance to shape positive change within the region.

To that end, The Safe Conflict Project is partnering with organizations from across the Middle East to create peace through the development of Arab civic education. Citizens throughout the Arab world are opening their eyes to the idea that they do not exist to be exploited by autocratic governments; rather, their governments should be responsible to them. We hope as do our partners that we can give youth leaders across the region the tools to empower their fellow countrymen to be more engaged citizens. This process will start through a Global Youth Summit we plan to hold later this year. The eventual result should be the enhanced ability of Arab youth to create not only more vibrant democratic systems, but also foster peace by giving citizens the opportunity take their disagreements out of the battlefields of the street and into the halls of a free Parliament.