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Six copies of typescripts + 1 duplicate 22x28cm, printed to rectos, stapled top left. Conditions generally good with ms corrections and notes. The Organisation of Arab Students membership included visiting Arab students who planned to return home after finishing their studies. A major area of concern reflected in this Convention was not only understanding the diverse, complex and evolving challenges faced back home, but how they could fit back in and contribute. The presenters and facilitators were of a high academic and diplomatic level. Its President, Tahseen Basheer (1925-2002) was at this time a Fellow at the US Institute of Peace, and would soon become a Spokesperson for Nasser and Sadat, and Egypt's Ambassador to the League of Arab States. The Convention Manager was Shehira Doss, and PR Levon Koshishian. Ibrahim Abu-Lughod chaired, and Fayez Sayegh acted as advisor, both of whom gave papers (see below). PAPERS: (1) Kamil Abdul Rahim "The Challenge to Arab Youth", 5 Sep, 6pp with extensive pencil notes. Although not stated as such, this appears to be the keynote speech. Rahim (1897-1966) had just taken up his post as the League's Ambassador to the UN and was Director of the Arab Information Center in the US. He describes the political, economic and social challenges at home (the need to consolidate newly won independence, help less favoured countries in Yemen and North Africa, deal with Israel, raise living standards, development projects, education, health, welfare, social security, land tenure etc), and draws a strong contrast with "special conditions" in the US, before going on to address meeting those challenges. // (2) Summary of J. Benjamin Schmoker, "Adjustment of the Arab Student Abroad", 6 Sep, 3pp. Schmoker was General Secretary of the Committee on Friendly Relations among Foreign Students and President of the National Association of Foreign Student Advisors in the US. Recently returned from the Middle East, he explains how Arab students face greater problems returning home than in adjusting to their host countries. // (3) TWO COPIES: Summary of Fayez Sayegh "Arabs warned to self examine themselves", 7 Sep, 2pp each, both with ms corrections. Sayegh was Chief of Research at the League's Arab Information Center in New York, prior to which he was visiting lecturer at Yale. In a strongly critical statement he warns his audience away from snobbery and arrogance, and the tendency to think of themselves upon their return as oracles of wisdom. // (4) I. Abou-Lugod, "The Arab Family in Flux" 10pp. Ibrahim Abou-Lugod (1929-2001), a Palestinian exile then at Princeton, would later be described by Edward Said as "the leading Arab academic activist in North America". He became Professor of Political Science at Northwestern, and founded the Association of Arab-American University Graduates (1968) and the journal Arab Studies Quarterly (1978). // (5) "The Challenge to Arab Youth in a Changing Arab World", 2pp, heavily creased. This looks like a set of discussion points and questions directed at four break out groups. The Social Challenge Committee is asked to consider aspects of change in family and social life, the educated youth, and diversity of education. The Political, Economic and Ideological Challenge Committee to consider Arab Unity, the Arab World in World Affairs, ideology and a redefinition of Arab life, and reconstructing Arab economic life. The Arabs and Cultural Growth Committee the state of artistic and literary creativity, rediscovery of Arab thought, academic freedom, and scientific and technological progress. And the Problems of the Arab Student Committee problems of the individual student at home, abroad, student government in the Arab world, and Arab student federalism. // (6) (Levon Kehishian), "Social Challenge Decisions by Convention", 8 Sep, 2pp. No author stated but possibly the PR. This summarises the discussions and conclusions drawing on Abu-Lughod and Sayegh in particular.
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