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On August 27, 2008, First Lady Asma al-Asad received the Arab First Lady Award for 2008, given by the Center for Studies of Arab Women Contribution, in cooperation with the Arab League. The award was granted “in appreciation of the First Lady’s initiative in human development, and patronage of several national projects that aim at enhancing the development process in Syria.” Karim Faraman, the Chairman of the Board of the Paris-based center, spoke to FW: saying, “this comes in recognition and appreciation for all the efforts and initiatives the Syrian First Lady has done and continues to do, enhancing the abilities of young people in Syria.” He highlighted one of her projects, the children discovery center MASSAR, saying it was received with “appreciation and admiration” and that it “reflects a deep vision for future needs—a future that no doubt, will be shaped by young people.”

“It is too early to bury Russia as a great power.”
Vladimir Putin, the Prime Minister of Russia, in an essay published 24-hours before the resignation of President Boris Yeltsin in 2000.

“Such a person, if he would assume the vice-presidency post, would not serve to improve Iraq-USA relations.”
Izzat Shahbandar, a member of the Iraqi parliament, on the selection of Senator Joe Biden as running mate for Barack Obama. Biden aroused Iraqi anger when he proposed dividing the country into a Shiite, Sunni, and Kurdish state.  

Born in Salisbury (now Harare), Zimbabwe in 1981, David Wisner obtained his bachelor’s from the Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont with a major in political science and a minor in European history. David’s professional experience includes being a teacher at the American School of Tangier in Tangier, Morocco, an analyst in the Technology Investment Banking Group at UBS in San Francisco, California, and as an intern on Nicolas Sarkozy’s recent presidential campaign. Over the last year, David has been studying Modern Standard Arabic in both Sana’a, Yemen and Damascus. In September 2008, David will begin work at the US State Department as a political officer.

The Syrian Government and the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) signed three landmark agreements designed to strengthen collaboration in the areas of microfinance, healthcare, and cultural tourism. Prime Minister Mohamed Naji Otri and  the Aga Khan attended the signing ceremony at the Prime Minister’s office in Damascus. In the area of microfinance, the Governor of the Central Bank of Syria, Adeeb Mayaleh and the CEO of the First Microfinance Institution (FMFI), Jean Lorenz Ehrentrant signed an agreement recognizing the FMFI as the first microfinance institution to operate in Syria. The agreement follows several years of experience in the area of microfinance. Since 2003, approximately 45,000 loans have been disbursed, amounting to nearly two billion SP (US$ 40 million), generating and developing over 35,000 new and existing business opportunities.

The Syrian Ministry of Education announced that illiteracy in Quneitra, the principle town on the Golan Heights, had reached an impressive 0%. Quneitra, restored to Syria after the October War of 1973, is the first town in Syria to eradicate illiteracy among both men and women. It is situated in a high valley in the Golan Heights at an elevation of 1,010 metres, founded during the Ottoman Empire as a way station on the caravan route to Damascus. It was occupied during the war of 1967.

Eight Syrian athletes returned to Syria from the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games having competed in shooting, swimming, track and field, triathlon, and weightlifting. Although the Syrians won no gold medals, they did make sports headlines when the swimmer Bayan Jumah pulled out of the women’s 50m freestyle event when she discovered that she would be competing with an Israeli. The track and field athlete Fadwa al-Bouza finished eighth in her first round of the women’s 100m hurdles, while Majduldine Gazal came in 14th in the men’s high jump. Weightlifter Ahed Joughili came in 13th in the men’s 105 kg weightlifting event while Roger Dahi, who competed in shooting, came in 41st. The Syrian participation in the Olympic Games was poorly covered in the Syrian press.

Both UNDP and Global Compact reach yet another milestone in Syria, having launched their joint project last July, aimed at increasing corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the Syrian business community. The program is currently being debated at the highest level of the Syrian government, while 16 companies from the private sector have registered with Global Compact. Among others, the list includes, Haykal Media, MTN, MAS Economic Group, Emaar, and both Bank Byblos and Bank Audi, as well as the Chambers of Industry and Commerce in Aleppo and Deir ez-Zour, along with the Syrian Young Entrepreneurs Association (SYEA) and the Syrian Business Council (SBC).  Such engagements will be translated through development projects that reflect NGO interpretations of the local community needs.

Bank Audi announced that it has successfully closed a landmark syndicated $380 million USD bridge facility for the Syrian Cement Company, a Lafarge subsidiary. The syndicated facility will be used to finance the setup of a “Greenfield Cement Plant” near Aleppo, with a production capacity of 2.9 million tons per annum (expected to start production in 2010).

Bank Audi has managed to attract 13 international and regional financial institutions from Denmark, Egypt, France, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. Among others, they include, the Commercial International Bank of Egypt, Danske Bank (Denmark), Byblos Bank (Lebanon), Banque BEMO, and the Housing Bank for Trading & Finance in Jordan. Ramzi Saliba, Bank Audi General Manager for Corporate Banking Ramzi Saliba commented saying: “This transaction constitutes one of the largest private financing deals for industrial projects in the Levant region.” Saliba added, “The deal is a clear indicator of Bank Audi’s regional role which is all the more reflected by the diversity of the participating banks.” As for Bassel Hamwi, Deputy Chairman and General Manager of Bank Audi Syria, he underlined that the transaction “clearly demonstrates the ability of the Syrian private sector to play a leading role in the growth of the country’s economy.”  Lafarge is the world leader in building materials, with 90,000 employees in 76 countries, posted sales of Euros 17.6 billion, and net income of Euros 1.9 billion in 2007.

During a press conference held at Four Seasons Damascus, Austrian Airlines launched its Premium Service for Business Class Travelers. Andreas Bierwirth, the commercial manager of Austrian Airlines, spoke at the event saying that the company’s strategy concentrated on the Middle East to achieve economic competitiveness. “The region stands out with a high growth rate, which reached 7%” he said. “This is despite the global slowdown in the airline industry.” He added that Austrian Airlines is studying the possibility of starting three additional weekly flights to Damascus. Speaking to FW: Saeb Nahhas, Chairman of Nahhas Enterprises (which holds Nahhas for Travel & Tourism, the agents of Austrian Airlines in Syria), said, “Competitiveness nowadays is no longer about reduction of prices but rather, a general basket of services.”  For 30-years, Damascus has been a main destination for Austrian Airlines, having started operation in November 1975.

The Syrians gave Lebanese musician Ziad Rahbani the royal treatment as he performed at the Damascus Citadel for the first time in 33-years, in August 2008. The performance, part of the celebrations of Damascus as Capital of Arab Culture 2008, took Damascus by storm. The $20 entrance fee, affordable by most standards, made both young and old, rich and poor, show up for the magnetic singer’s concerts, attracting no less than 3,000 people per night, and causing newspapers to write, “Even the moon came to attend Ziad Rahbani.” Four generations in Syria have been raised listening to the music of Ziad Rahbani, his father Assi, uncle Mansour, and mother, the Lebanese diva Fayruz.