About the Event
SDWAC is pleased to support this rare opportunity to hear directly from courageous young leaders from across the Middle East who are breaking barriers, challenging stereotypes, and building bridges of peace and coexistence. Their voices matter and so does your presence. By showing up, you’re not only supporting dialogue and understanding, but also amplifying a growing movement of hope, tolerance, and partnership shaping the future of the region.
Come and mingle with us for a "Happy Hour of Hope" and learn from our special guests from the Sharaka Delegation visiting California to spread a message of hope and peace in the Middle East:
Youssef Elazhari (Morocco): Youssef is a Moroccan marketing and advertising entrepreneur who is passionate about tech, education, and peacebuilding. He holds a master’s degree in marketing and speaks fluent Arabic, French, and English. He is the founder of Fihria, a non-profit project that works to prevent girls from dropping out of school across Africa. Youssef is also a member of the World Economic Forum Global Shapers program.
Noam Meirov (Israel): Fluent in Hebrew, English, and Arabic, Noam draws on his experience as a reserve captain in the IDF to advocate for educational empowerment across Israel’s diverse communities. He founded two ventures to bridge social and linguistic divides: an education initiative that expands digital access within Israel’s Arab community and a digital school that teaches spoken Arabic to Jewish Israelis.
Dr. Haisam Hassanein (Egypt): Dr. Haisam Hassanein is an adjunct fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, where he is analyzing Israel’s relations with Arab states and Muslim countries. Previously, he was a research fellow at the Washington Institute, where he focused on Egyptian-Israeli relations and U.S. policy toward the Middle East. He has published in The Wall Street Journal, New York Post, Foreign Affairs, The National Interest, the Hill magazine, the New York Daily News, and The Jerusalem Post, to name a few. Hassanein earned his M.A. in Middle Eastern & African history from Tel Aviv University. He was the first Egyptian to be named a graduate school valedictorian by an Israeli academic institution. Haisam
About Sharaka
Sharaka (“Partnership” in Arabic) is a people-to-people peace initiative born out of the Abraham Accords. It builds bridges across the Middle East through educational delegations, grassroots communities, and groundbreaking Holocaust education, fostering mutual respect, coexistence, and long-term peace. Engaging with these voices is vital as they represent a growing movement of peacemakers working toward tolerance, understanding, and a more peaceful future for the region.
About House of Israel
The House of Israel, part of the historic International Cottages in Balboa Park, opened its doors in 1948. Since then, it has served as a cultural and educational center, sharing Israel’s history, traditions, and contributions to the World while fostering friendship and understanding among San Diego’s diverse cultures and beyond.
