VZCZCXYZ0010
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDM #0381/01 1531210
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 021210Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6428
INFO RUCNNAF/NORTH AF NEA AND SOUTH ASIAN COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000381 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR ECA/PE/V/R/N SABED-KOTOB, JKREISER; ECA/PE/V/M 
AMOYLAN; LGOMEZ 
INFO FOR NEA/PPD, NEA/ELA 
 
SENSITIVE, SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO OEXC SCUL SY
SUBJECT: FY20010 INTERNATIONAL VISITOR PROGRAM NOMINATION SLATE FROM 
SYRIA 
 
¶1.  (SBU) The following, in priority order, is the Mission's FY2010 
slate of 30 International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) 
selections and nominees as determined by the post IVLP selection 
committee.  Post's allocation for FY2010 is 28 slots.  This slate 
includes two Single Country Programs (SCP): "Sustainable Urban 
Development in the U.S." and "Preventing Domestic Violence and 
Abuse."  (See paragraphs three and four.) 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Programs and nominees: 
 
RP: U.S. Foreign Policy, April 5-16, 2010 
(1) Candidate: Nizar Maihoub 
 
MRP: Small Business Development, May 24-June 11, 2010 
(2) Candidate: Kareem Tabah 
 
RP:  Political Cartoonists, June 21-July 9, 2010 
(3) Candidate:  Khaled Katta 
 
SCP: Sustainable Urban Development in the U.S., October-November 
2009 
(4) Candidate: Mazen Azmeh 
(5) Candidate: Mr. Haitham Raihawi 
(6) Candidate: Mr. Jalal Fakhoury 
(7) Candidate: Mr. Yaman Al-Rasouk 
(8) Candidate: Ms. Mona Bishara 
(9) Candidate: Mr. Sauhail Abdulatif 
(10) Candidate: Mr. Khaled Al-Kheder 
(11) Candidate: Ms. Reem Balbaky 
(12) Candidate: Ms. Khira Eid 
 
SCP: Preventing Domestic Violence and Abuse, October-November, 2009 
(13) Candidate: Hala Hamami 
(14) Candidate: Jack Claude Naddaf 
(15) Candidate: Nabila Fattal 
(16) Candidate: Norma Ibrahim 
(17) Candidate: Lama Asaad 
(18) Candidate: Ghazi Shammat 
(19) Candidate: Maissa Hasan 
(20) Candidate: Yaser Mualla 
 
MRP: Accountability in Government and Business, September-October, 
2010 
(21) Candidate:  Ms. Maha Suleiman Nasser 
 
MRP: Combating Trafficking in Persons, October 26-November 6, 2009 
(22) Candidate: Roy Georgiades 
RP: Interfaith Dialogue, March 8-26, 2010 
(23) Candidate: Sahar Abu Harb 
 
RP: Promoting Rule of Law and Judicial Reform, September 7-24, 2010 
(24) Candidate: Ibrahim Draji 
 
MRP: Economy and Business Reporting in the U.S., February 22-March 
5, 2010 
(25) Candidate: Jihad Yazigi 
 
MRP: Teaching English as a Second Language, March 15-April 2, 2010 
(26) Candidate: Rula Al-Hussari 
 
RP: Volunteerism in America, February 8-26, 2010 
(27) Candidate: Dima Mekdad 
 
MRP: Adult Education and Community Colleges in US, February 1-19, 
2010 
(28) Candidate: Laila Kabab 
 
RP: Use of Technology in the Classroom, May 10-28, 2010 
(29) Candidate: Dana Deirani 
 
MRP: The Role of NGOs in Promoting Global Women's    Issues, June 
14-July 2, 2010 
(30) Candidate: Ms. Rania Idlibi 
RP: Tourism Development, July 12-23, 2010 
(31) Candidate: Rasin Martini 
 
----------------------- 
SINGLE COUNTRY PROGRAMS 
----------------------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Post proposes a SCP for Syria with the title "Preventing 
Domestic Violence and Abuse."  A small number of women's shelters 
and an abuse hotline currently exist in Damascus, catering to both 
Syrian women and Iraqi refugees who have been abused and/or 
trafficked.  It is a Mission priority to help both communities and 
to highlight for the general public and the Syrian government the 
importance of protecting women and families from abuse.  The program 
can be based on the existing RP offered for FY2010, with the 
SYRIA 
 
addition of one or two days of conflict resolution training at a 
U.S. university.  The training will help the volunteers work better 
with a religiously and ethnically diverse clientele.  The program 
will include 5-8 volunteers who work with NGOs and shelters 
providing protection and healthcare services to abused women and 
children.  The preferred timeframe for the program is the first two 
weeks of October 2009 due to the university schedules of several of 
the participants. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Post proposes a second SCP for Syria with the title 
"Sustainable Urban Development."  A huge population boom, combined 
with urban sprawl, limited water resources, insufficient electrical 
capacity, illegal housing and inadequate sewage systems are just a 
few of the challenges confronting urban planners in Syria.  Syria's 
sprawling bureaucracy and outdated laws are ill-equipped to cope 
with the challenges of the 21st century.  Urban planners arguing for 
sustainable development are often outnumbered by wealthy businessmen 
who want to promote tourism or factories at the expense of the 
environment or the surrounding community.  This SCP is an 
opportunity for Syrian participants to explore sustainable 
development practices to reduce air and water pollution, to improve 
sanitation and waste management, to improve the transportation 
infrastructure, and the provision of water, electricity and other 
utilities.  This 9 person team of Syrians will be led by the private 
sector urban planning consultant who is advising the Syrian 
government.  The additional team members represent the key action 
officers in Syria's governorates: Aleppo, Homs, Damascus and 
Al-Jazeera.  This SCP will be an ideal opportunity for the team to 
coordinate their urban planning vision for Syria, develop concrete 
plans, and gain experience and ideas from the U.S. experience. The 
proposed timeframe for this program is between mid October and early 
November, 2009. 
 
¶5.  (U) Post has submitted individual nominations for each program 
through EVDB. 
 
CONNELLY