Shafik Gabr Foundation launches 8th round of leadership programme

The Shafik Gabr Foundation launched on Saturday night the East-West: Art of Dialogue programme for the year 2022 with the attendance of ambassadors from several countries, politicians, parliamentarians and an array of other public figures.

The fellowship programme is being held after two years of suspension due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The East-West: Art of Dialogue is an initiative launched by one of Egypt’s top businessmen Mohamed Shafik Gabr with a view to bridging gaps between the peoples of the Arab world and the West, particularly the US, through boosting cultural exchanges among young emerging leaders on both sides, in business, politics, the media, science, the arts, engineering and civil society.

The initiative launched its eighth round this year, allowing 20 young leaders from Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the U.S. to speak to top government officials, private sector leaders, intellectuals, politicians, economists and celebrities in both countries.

The Gabr Fellowship seeks to enhance relations between the two countries by making room for cross-cultural dialogue and co-operation over projects. The Fellowship’s carefully-selected participants work on these projects together, in order to promote the goal of the programme: building bridges.

Egyptian businessman Gabr gave a speech during a dinner reception held at the foundation’s premises, highlighting the importance of building bridges between Egypt and the Arab world on one hand and the US on the other hand.

He said that the Foundation is committed to supporting young people in order for them to become enlightened leaders in the future.

The Fellowship has been running since 2013 and is made up of 20 to 24 fellows, half of them American and half Egyptian, with each side equally divided between men and women.

Sometimes, the Fellowship includes other nationalities, with one participant from the United Kingdom having been included in the 2015 programme, and a participant from Lebanon included in the 2016 programme as well as a participant from Saudi Arabia in the 2022 programme.