The Layalina Review: Volume VI No. 10 | Layalina Productions, Inc.

The Layalina Review

	The Layalina Review on Public Diplomacy and Arab Media The Layalina Review is a peerless bi-weekly source for monitoring developments in the spheres of public diplomacy and Arab media. Its readers include academics, Foreign Service Officers, students, members of Congress and their staffs, foreign diplomats, and professionals in both the private and public sectors. Published 26 times per year, the review is free to subscribers and available in PDF, HTML, and RSS formats. The Layalina Review is brought to you thanks in part to a grant from The Dr. Scholl Foundation of Illinois.
Statistic of the Week The UAE is the 'most connected' Arab country, followed by Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, in a new study. PDF RSS Twitter Facebook Recent Issues Vol. VI No. 9: 4/23-5/6, 2010 Vol. VI No. 8: 4/9-4/22, 2010 Archives Subscribe to our Publications Layalina Review Staff Leon Shahabian Senior Editor Anne Hagood Managing Editor Lyzz Schwegler Contributor Mirna Oud Contributor Lorraine Jablonsky Contributor The views expressed here are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Layalina Productions, Inc.	VOL. VI NO. 10, May 7-May 20, 2010 Pakistan Un-friends Facebook The Lahore High Court Telecommunication Authority (PTA) banned Facebook and other social media following public outrage over a Facebook contest to draw the Prophet Muhammad. The campaign originally aimed at expressing solidarity with the creators of “South Park” against censorship. Miss USA: Made in Lebanon Lebanese-born Rima Fakih won the beauty pageant Miss America 2010, giving a new face to Arab Muslims in America. Yet, her victory provoked an outcry among the American far right who claim she is a mole for the terrorist group Hezbollah. 1001 Opinions over Arabian Nights A literary battle unfolds between conservatives and liberals in Egypt as a group of Islamist lawyers took Egypt’s ministry of culture to court for issuing a new edition of The Arabian Nights, deemed too bawdy to their liking. Meanwhile, the liberals have protested that the work is a beacon of Arabic literature and should not be banned under the pretext of religious fanaticism. Homegrown Terrorism: Keep It Local The recently-foiled bombing of Times Square in New York City has raised the specter of homegrown terrorism in America, bringing officials to reconsider their approach and outreach to Muslims at home. The Sound of Music and Public Diplomacy Seeking nuanced public diplomacy initiatives, the State Department is funding music tours in the Middle East, indicating a shift toward cultural diplomacy in its outreach to the Arab world. Reminiscent of jazz diplomacy, State aims to facilitate understanding between both cultures by highlighting America’s diversity of faith and musical heritage. Arabic Domain Names: A New Gateway to the Internet The rise in new Arabic domain names is hailed as a positive step in the Arab world, where the internet is often used as a platform to evade government censorship. Although many believe that it will increase internet participation in the region, others believe that it may in fact alienate all non-Arabic speakers, creating a greater divide. Arab Media Forum Tackles Censorship Participants and media experts at the ninth Arab Media Forum in Dubai earlier in May discussed the prominent role of advertising companies in generating media content, while urging Arab governments to reconsider their censorship policies. State Heads on a Cultural Tour Cultural Tourism DC's Around-the-World tour brought different cultures to the US. Despite the success of diplomatic programs, experts expressed disappointment with the training of public diplomacy officers and international efforts. Media Exchange Programs Open New Doors The Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship was one part of President Obama's efforts to improve US-Muslim relations. However, the Muslim community, especially in the Middle East, remains focused on opportunities to improve business prospects across the region.

The Layalina Review on Public Diplomacy and Arab Media

The Layalina Review is a peerless bi-weekly source for monitoring developments in the spheres of public diplomacy and Arab media.

Its readers include academics, Foreign Service Officers, students, members of Congress and their staffs, foreign diplomats, and professionals in both the private and public sectors.

Published 26 times per year, the review is free to subscribers and available in PDF, HTML, and RSS formats.

The Layalina Review is brought to you thanks in part to a grant from The Dr. Scholl Foundation of Illinois.

Statistic of the Week
The UAE is the 'most connected' Arab country, followed by Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, in a new study.

Recent Issues

Vol. VI No. 9: 4/23-5/6, 2010

Vol. VI No. 8: 4/9-4/22, 2010

Archives

Layalina Review Staff

Leon Shahabian
Senior Editor

Anne Hagood
Managing Editor

Lyzz Schwegler
Contributor

Mirna Oud
Contributor

Lorraine Jablonsky
Contributor

The views expressed here are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Layalina Productions, Inc.

VOL. VI NO. 10, May 7-May 20, 2010

Pakistan Un-friends Facebook
The Lahore High Court Telecommunication Authority (PTA) banned Facebook and other social media following public outrage over a Facebook contest to draw the Prophet Muhammad. The campaign originally aimed at expressing solidarity with the creators of “South Park” against censorship.

Miss USA: Made in Lebanon
Lebanese-born Rima Fakih won the beauty pageant Miss America 2010, giving a new face to Arab Muslims in America. Yet, her victory provoked an outcry among the American far right who claim she is a mole for the terrorist group Hezbollah.

1001 Opinions over Arabian Nights
A literary battle unfolds between conservatives and liberals in Egypt as a group of Islamist lawyers took Egypt’s ministry of culture to court for issuing a new edition of The Arabian Nights, deemed too bawdy to their liking. Meanwhile, the liberals have protested that the work is a beacon of Arabic literature and should not be banned under the pretext of religious fanaticism.

Homegrown Terrorism: Keep It Local
The recently-foiled bombing of Times Square in New York City has raised the specter of homegrown terrorism in America, bringing officials to reconsider their approach and outreach to Muslims at home.

The Sound of Music and Public Diplomacy
Seeking nuanced public diplomacy initiatives, the State Department is funding music tours in the Middle East, indicating a shift toward cultural diplomacy in its outreach to the Arab world. Reminiscent of jazz diplomacy, State aims to facilitate understanding between both cultures by highlighting America’s diversity of faith and musical heritage.

Arabic Domain Names: A New Gateway to the Internet
The rise in new Arabic domain names is hailed as a positive step in the Arab world, where the internet is often used as a platform to evade government censorship. Although many believe that it will increase internet participation in the region, others believe that it may in fact alienate all non-Arabic speakers, creating a greater divide.

Arab Media Forum Tackles Censorship
Participants and media experts at the ninth Arab Media Forum in Dubai earlier in May discussed the prominent role of advertising companies in generating media content, while urging Arab governments to reconsider their censorship policies.

State Heads on a Cultural Tour
Cultural Tourism DC's Around-the-World tour brought different cultures to the US. Despite the success of diplomatic programs, experts expressed disappointment with the training of public diplomacy officers and international efforts.

Media Exchange Programs Open New Doors
The Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship was one part of President Obama's efforts to improve US-Muslim relations. However, the Muslim community, especially in the Middle East, remains focused on opportunities to improve business prospects across the region.