1-The initiative:
29/May/2000, Beirut
During the ceremony declaring Beirut Arab Cultural Capital, His
Highness Prince Khaled Al Faysal Ben Abdul Aziz, in his speech, called
for the establishment of a non governmental foundation that allowed
establishing a useful cooperation between capital and intellectuals, to
promote the interests of the Arab Nation.
2-The founding meeting:
2-3/ January/2001, Cairo
His Highness Prince Khaled Al Faysal addressed a large number of
prominent Arabs concerned with Arabic culture and thought and presented
the project proposed during the ceremony in Beirut. His call drew a
positive response, and the project was approved by the majority, who
took the following steps
• Determining the goals of the Foundation
• Naming Prince Khaled Al Faysal as President of this Foundation.
• Setting up the headquarters of the foundation in Beirut.
• The contribution of the founding members was set at one million
American dollars in one payment or on three annual installments. The
amounts paid are an endowment not to be spent but to be invested. In
case of liquidation, accounts paid would be returned to the founding
members or their heirs.
• The capital of the foundation is an endowment. The revenues and
dividends of this capital are used to finance the foundation’s
activities.
• Setting up of a preparatory committee to work out the project.
3-First meeting of the preparatory committee:
20-21/January/2001, Abha
• This meeting underlined the main themes of the project of a
Foundation: the concept, the goals, the membership, the programs and
the activities, and the organizational chart
• In order to draw up the charter of the Foundation, the committee
called upon a number of specialists in the legal, financial, and
managerial fields.
4-Second meeting of the preparatory committee:
22/ September/2001, Abha
• The committee discussed the draft of the charter suggested by the experts.
5-Intellectuals and experts’ meeting:
15/October/2001, Beirut
A number of prominent intellectuals from the Arab countries
participated in this meeting where the project and the steps taken to
implement it were presented to them. Then, the charter was presented
and discussed. Comments and remarks were noted by a drafting committee
set up for that purpose.
6- Joint meeting of the intellectuals and the Board of Trustees:
16/October/2001, Beirut
The meeting debated the comments and suggestions of the previous meeting.
7-Second meeting of the Board of Trustees:
16/ October/ 2001
The Board of Trustees held a closed meeting where the Members approved
the charter of the Foundation and recommended that it would be
communicated to the Lebanese Council of Ministers.
8-Registration of the foundation:
18/October/2001
The Lebanese Council of Ministers issued decree number 6605 approving
the registration of the foundation and granting it all privileges and
immunities necessary to undertake its mission and goals, as granted to
regional and international organizations operating in the framework of
the Unites Nations.
9-Forming the first Board of directors:
12/January/2002
During its third meeting, the Board of Trustees decided the
constitution of the Board of Directors headed by his Highness Prince
Khaled Al Faisal and with the following members:
Members from the Board of Trustees:
Mrs. Bahia Al Hariri
Sheikh Abdulaziz Kassem Kanou
Sheik Saleh Kamel
Sheikh Abdulaziz Al Babteen
Dr. Maneh Said Alutaiba
Mr. Naguib Sawiris
Members from the Advisory Council:
Mr. Jihad Al Khazen
Dr. Hazem Al Bablawi
Dr. Abdulmalak Mourtad
Dr. Ali Okla Oursan
Dr. Eid Al Dahiat
Mr. Mohamad Al Kabaj
Dr. Mohamad Jaber Alansari
Dr. Mohamad Ghanem AL Roumaihi
10-Forming the first Advisory Council:
19/09/2002- Cairo
The 50 members of the Advisory Council were chosen from different Arab
countries. They represent the different intellectual and scientific
fields of specialization.
11-Steps undertaken to present the Foundation:
In order to present the recently established Foundation, His Highness
Prince Khaled Al Faisal met a large number of Arab leaders, decision
makers, religious leaders, businessmen and women, experts,
intellectuals, scientists, Arab media and international organizations
as follows:
1-Political leaders:
Egypt: President Hosni Moubarak, and a large number of Egyptian personalities:
Dr. Ahmad Fathi Sorour People’s Assembly Speaker, Dr. Ismat Abdul
Maguid former Scretary Gneral of the Arab League, Dr. Oussama AL Baz
Political Advisor to the President, Dr. Zakareya Azmi presidential
cabinet chief, Mr. mouhamad Safwat ESherif Information Minister, Mr.
Farouk Housni Minister of Culture.
Lebanon: Prince Khaled Al Faysal accompanied by some members of the
Board of Trustees met with President Emile Lahoud, Prime Minister Rafik
Al Hariri, and President Nabih Berri Parliament Speaker. President of
the Foundation visited also the Information Minister Ghazi Alaridi and
The Minister of Culture Ghassan Salameh.
Morocco: the president of the Foundation met His Majesty King Mohammad VI.
United Arab Emirates: the President of the Foundation met the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, His Royal Highness Sheikh Khalifa.
Syria: the President of the Foundation met the Syrian President Dr. Bachar Al Assad.
Jordan: the President of the Foundation met his Majesty King Abdullah II.
Kuwait: the President of the Foundation met His Highness Sheikh Jaber
AL Ahmed Al Subah Head of the State of Kuwait. He also met His Highness
Sheikh Subah Ahmad AL Subah the Acting Prime Minister and Minister of
Foreign Affairs.
Yemen: the President of the Foundation met Yemeni President, Mr. Ali Abdullah Saleh.
Bahrain: the President of the Foundation met His Majesty Sheikh Hamad
Ben Issa Al Khalifa, His Highness Crown Prince and the General Chief of
Defense Sheikh Khalifa Ben Salman Al Khalifa. He also met the Minister
of Interior Sheikh Mohamad Ben Khalifa Al Khalifa.
Qatar: the President of the Foundation met His Royal Highness Sheikh
Hamad Ben Khalifa AL Thani Sheikh of Qatar and His Royal Highness
Sheikh Saoud Ben Mohammad Ben Ali Al Thani President of the National
Council for Culture, Art and national heritage.
Tunisia: the President of the Foundation met the Minister of Culture
Dr. Mohamed Abdul Baki Alhermasi, the Prime Minister Mohammad AL
Ghanouchi, and was assured of the support of President Zein El Abidin
Ben Ali.
Algeria: the President of the Foundation met President Abdel Aziz
Boutaflika and the Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdul Aziz Belkhadem.
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2-Religious leaders:
Egypt:
The President of the Foundation met in Egypt Doctor Mohammad Said
Tantawi, the Imam of Al Azhar. He also met, Doctor Ahmed Al Tayeb ,
Mufti of Egypt and His Holiness Pope Shnouda III.
Lebanon:
The president of the Foundation met His Eminence Sheikh Mohamad Rachid
Kabbani, Mufti of the Lebanese Republic, and Sheikh Abdul Amir Kabalan
the Vice President of the Shiite Higher Council in Lebanon. He also met
His Holiness Patriarch Mar Nassrallah Boutros Sfeir.
3- International Organizations:
• Arab League
• Arab World Institute
• UNESCO in Paris
• The Arab League Educational, Cultural, and Scientific Organization (ALECO)
• Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
• Arab Bureau for the Gulf States
4- Intellectuals, Businessmen and Women, Media:
• The Author Naguib Mahfouz
• American University of Cairo
• Kuwaiti Councils
• Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce
• Union of Yemeni Chambers of Commerce
• Foundation of Abdulaziz Al Babteen Award
• Diplomatic Club in Qatar
• Tunisian Chamber of Commerce
12- Inauguration of the Foundation’s headquarters
29/3/2003, Beirut
Concept
The Arab Thought Foundation is an independent, non-governmental and
international foundation with no political or sectarian ties. It is an
initiative between intellectuals and businessmen to promote attachment
to Arabs permanent principles, values and morals. It is concerned with
all fields of knowledge covering sciences, medicine, economics,
administration, media, literature and arts, and exerts efforts to unify
the intellectual and cultural action that advocates Arab solidarity,
development and preservation of Arab identity.
Goals
- Promoting attachment to Arab principles, values, and identity through appropriate cultural programs
- Enhancing thoughts and activities that promote Arab solidarity and unity in the service of Arab highest interests
- Supporting
efforts to develop knowledge and sciences, and focusing on future
studies, as well as on the best use of modern technology
- Honoring pioneers, talented and innovative Arabs
- Strengthening ties with Arab immigrants: Individuals and institutions, and benefiting from their experience and expertise
- Coordinating
and collaborating with individuals and bodies concerned with Arab
cultural and intellectual solidarity, as well as international and
regional institutions concerned with Arab Affairs
- Initiating
cultural and media programs which contribute to a better understanding
of the Arab civilization on an international scope
Membership
Board of Trustees Member: the member of the Board contributes one
million U.S.D. or more, whether paid in full or in three installments,
with the approval of Board of Trustees. This contribution is an
endowment that would be returned to the members or their heirs as
stated in the Foundation’s statute if the Foundation is dissolved for
any reason.
Institutions membership: can be granted to non governmental
institutions approved by the Board of trustees. Each institution pays
one million U.S.D. or more in full or in three installments and has a
representative in the Board of Trustees.
Associate Member: is one whose membership is accepted provided he
contributes a minimum of 10000 dollars to the capital of the
Foundation. This membership grants the member the right to attend the
General Assembly’s meetings and to participate in the election of the
eight members of the Board of Directors from the General assembly.
Consultant Member: is a membership granted to intellectuals, experts
and specialized Arabs concerned with fields related to the Foundation
Activities.
Honorary Membership: is granted to prominent personalities who provide moral or material support for the Foundation.
Organizational Chart
The General Assembly: elects eight members of the Board of Directors,
examines the Foundation’s annual report, and gives its views on
projects and programs. It is composed of the members of the Board of
Trustees, the Associate members, the Consultant Council members and the
General Secretariat.
The Board of Trustees: is the highest authority of the Foundation. It
approves policies, programs, activities, regulations and annual budget.
The Consultant Council: consists of distinguished intellectuals,
scientists, experts and specialists in various fields related to the
objectives of the Foundation and is attached to the Board of Trustees.
The Board of Directors: manages and elaborates the Foundation’s
programs, and executes projects adopted by the Board of Trustees. It
consists of fifteen members, seven of whom are elected by the Board of
Trustees from its members and one of these is elected as Chairman of
the Board while the remaining eight members of the Board are elected by
the General assembly among the members of the Consultant Body.
The General Secretariat: is the executive body of the Foundation’s
policies, programs and projects, it consists of a Secretary General, an
Assistant Secretary General and five departments: programs and
conferences unity, media and public relations unity, computer and
information unity, studies and researches unity, and administrative and
financial affairs unity.
Finance
The Foundation and its activities are financed by revenues generated
from investment of membership fees, provided by members of the Board of
Trustees (individuals and institutions), and associate members. These
endowments are put in consignment and the Foundation’s programs and
activities are financed by the income of the investment of the
endowment. If the foundation is dissolved for any reason, the capital
paid would be returned to the members or their heirs as stated in the
Foundation’s charter. The Foundation accepts grants, donations and
endowments from public and private sources.
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