At the annual meeting of 2011 Clinton Global Initiative, which was held in New York on September 21st, the Mohamed S. Farsi Foundation (The MSFF) declared that it would be providing a $500,000 scholarship fund to students from Tunisia and Egypt, who will be pursuing their junior year in college at the American University in Washington DC. According to an estimate made by The Clinton Global Initiative, this scholarship fund will indirectly affect 10,000 people, over a period of 5 years.
In his address, Hani Farsi, Chairman and Founder of The MSFF, said “In recent years the perceived divisions between the West and the Middle East have grown deeper with many in the West unsure what the “Arab Spring” will mean for world,” “As a result there is a misperception that the belief systems of these two regions are both opposed and irreconcilable. It is my hope that these Middle Eastern scholarships in the United States will lead to positive interactions between the Arab world and the West, supporting the symbiosis I believe to be possible.”
In order to honor Khaled Said of Egypt, Mohamed Bouazizi of Tunisia and the Arab Spring movement that was on outcome of their actions, The Mohamed S. Farsi Foundation Middle Eastern Scholarships were established. The students of Tunisia and Egypt, who would avail this scholarship, will learn about democracy, its institutions and principles, while studying at the American University in Washington DC. Consequently, on returning home, they would be able to help in the development of their respective countries, by applying the knowledge gained in the US. The main aim of the MSFF, while establishing these scholarships, is to promote global co-operation and develop harmonious international relationships.
According to Abdul Aziz Said , American University Professor of International Relations and also the Chair of the Mohamed S. Farsi Chair of Islamic Peace, “In today’s period of intense, and often bewildering change, the world needs a model of education that is capable of conceiving the idea of global citizenship. In educating for global citizenship in the West and the Middle East, we must remember and honor our traditions. Each tradition has an inherent basis of knowledge that can be drawn upon to develop society. The fact is that whole world needs the whole world.”
