Middle Eastern and North African Diaspora Coalition (MENA DC)

Middle Eastern and North African Diaspora Coalition (MENA DC) Each action in support and solidarity with their countrymen and women has a profound impact on the struggle that goes on in their country.

We are are group of MENA diaspora students and professionals living in Washington DC who have come together to actively support pro-democracy and human rights movements across MENA. Recent events in Tunisia and Egypt serve as a reminder that although the contexts differ, the overarching issues are the same: citizens of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) face some of the most brutal, discrimi

natory, and tyrannical regimes the world has ever seen. However, these events also demonstrate that the MENA is comprised of inspiring, brave, resilient, and courageous people willing to take action against repression. MENA diaspora continue to show the strength of their commitment by organizing demonstrations across the world in support of their compatriots’ struggle for democracy. While the extreme rapidity of events taking place in the MENA is especially encouraging, all activists who have the opportunity of living in countries that respect basic civil rights and liberties must work to support and promote change that honors the standards of human rights and dignity for all members of society. The time is now for MENA diaspora organizations and individuals committed to democracy and human rights to come together in solidarity and support of the common problems that face our countries. While such groups and individuals have differing perspectives and tactics, it is important for all those who stand for basic principles of human rights, as outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and who are committed to democracy to cooperate in furthering our respective goals and strengthen our collective efforts for promoting human rights and democracy in MENA.

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Washington, DC

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Vision Our vision is to see all governments of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries become democratic and adhere strictly to the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Mission Our mission is to create a functional coalition that unites independent grassroots activists and organizations actively supporting pro-democracy and human rights movements across MENA. Our belief is that all people deserve to live under democratic systems that respect human rights, as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights charter. Goal 1: To empower ourselves and our compatriots through cooperation and coordination in order to support, amplify and inspire the democratic movements across the region. Objectives 1 - To Amplify the Solidarity of those Aspiring for Human rights and Democracy in the Region Via Organized Collective Actions: Repressive regimes in MENA have made deliberate attempts to create divisions between their people and neighboring nations, making coalition building across MENA practically impossible. Yet, the near simultaneity of events over the past months demonstrates that force cannot keep liberty at bay – that political developments in the MENA are contagious and regional in nature. Objective 2 -To Serve as a Vehicle for the Dissemination of New Ideas: Oftentimes, the discourse around human rights and democracy in closed societies is facilitated by their Diaspora. A diaspora coalition not only expands the discourse but also because of the diverse experiences of coalition members, can serve as the vehicle for dissemination of new ideas related to transition to democracy and the implementation of human rights. Goal 2: To support and strengthen each member’s individual actions in support of the advancement of democracy and human rights. Objective 1 - To Share Practical Tools and Expertise: A diaspora coalition serves as a vehicle for activists and individuals to share ideas and tools that can enhance their capability to provide immediate assistance to their compatriots in the height of a struggle. Objective 2 - To Expand the Awareness and Knowledge of the General Public About Our Compatriots’ Struggles: A diaspora coalition serves as a vehicle for the exchange of updated information about the various movements so that more of us at the grassroots level can articulate and promote the democratic demands of our compatriots. Objective 3 - To Expand the Base of Support for Each Coalition Member’s Individual Actions: The MENA diaspora coalition expands the base of support for each of MENA’s democratic movements and activates a united front in support of all movements for human rights and democracy in the Middle East and North Africa. Objective 4 - To Exchange Lessons Learned and Experiences: The coalition brings together activists that have a wide array of perspectives, experiences, interests, thereby providing members with the opportunity to learn and share their lessons-learned about community organizing, planning, and effective actions in support of their compatriots. Goal 3: To promote the universal respect for and application of human rights standards, freedoms, and self-determination for all citizens of MENA: Objective 1 – To Hold Collective Actions in Support of Human Rights and Democracy for MENA Objective 2 - Elevate the Discourse: Acknowledging the commonalities of the struggles, a strong diaspora coalition counteracts the discourse of divisive forces that undermine people’s democratic aspirations by suggesting that democracy is not compatible with their culture and/or religion. A diaspora coalition emphasizing the universality of human rights and democratic aspirations can dispel such ignorant and malevolent commentary while helping to focus and elevate discourses around freedom, human rights, and democracy from the national to the regional, and eventually, global level.

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