We are pleased to announce that the founding members of the Layalina Council: Alliance for a Better Understanding gathered on October 7th for an inaugural luncheon meeting at the Metropolitan Club in Washing-ton, DC. The Council’s mission is to promote Layalina Productions globally as a leader in the expansion of public diplomacy in the Middle East and North Africa.

This newly-formed advisory body brings together preeminent leaders and advisors from governments, international corporations and non-profits, each of whom offers unique experience and expertise in the Middle East, media and other areas. The event filled the club’s Anderson Room with forty attendees, many of whom were from the Middle East.

This inaugural meeting was made possible thanks to Layalina’s Board of Directors, with special thanks to Dr. Raja Kamal, and to the tireless efforts of the Council’s Co-Chair, Dr. Tony Ghorayeb, Chairman and co-founder of a Lebanese invest-ment bank and an expert in law and political science.

Generation Entrepreneur premieres on the most-watched

pan-Arab pay TV channel. Article on Page 3.

The Layalina Chronicle / Fall 2013

We were honored to welcome Washington Post opinion writer David Ignatius as the keynote speaker. Mr. Ignatius, an award-winning columnist, author and Middle East expert, recognized the important work Layalina is doing to encourage entrepreneurship, promote education and build relationships in the region. Layalina’s Chairman, the Honorable Richard S. Bodman, Vice Chairman Ambassador Richard Solomon, and President Ambassador Paul Russo joined Dr. Ghorayeb in discussing the Council’s potential to help Layalina navigate the challenges and opportunities presented by a rapidly changing Middle East and North Africa region. Attendees also screened a montage of Layalina’s past award-winning programs.

The next meeting of the Council will be held in the Middle East in 2014 and will inform and develop future initiatives to advance public diplomacy throughout the region. We look forward to benefiting from the leadership and guidance that Council members will provide through their combined expertise, innovative ideas and financial commitment.

Launch of the Layalina Council: Alliance for a Better Understanding

Dr. Tony Ghorayeb, Layalina Council Co-Chair

Dear Friends,

I am pleased to share Layalina’s exciting developments since the summer. We are building enthusiasm and energy as we move forward with a new phase of our organization, and it is increasingly clear with the turmoil in the Middle East that our mission is more important now than ever before.

It gives me great pleasure to welcome a new Director to the Board: Dr. Raja Kamal, Senior Vice President at the Buck Institute. Dr. Kamal’s life journey brought him to America via Lebanon and Jordan, and he is personally committed to Layalina’s mission of building inter-cultural understanding. We are thrilled that he agreed to join our Board.

I’m also pleased to introduce Layalina’s newest team members: Lenore Bajare-Dukes, Development Associate and Managing Editor and Leah Gold, Production Associ-ate.

In this issue we present the Layalina Council: Alliance for a Better Understanding. The Council consists of lead-ers with substantive experience in government and the private sector who are willing to make a commitment to promote Layalina Productions globally as a leader in the expansion of public diplomacy in the Arab world.

Team Recyclobekia at the INJAZ Egypt Competition.

This exciting innovation was introduced by our newest Board member, Dr. Raja Kamal, and is co-chaired by another friend of Layalina, Dr. Tony Ghorayeb. I am also happy to share that our latest reality series INJAZ: Generation Entrepreneur premiered on OSN in the Middle East in October. We all owe a lot to our President, Paul Russo; our dedicated and creative Executive Vice President, Leon Shahabian; our devoted Treasurer, Phyllis Chesley; our brilliant and hard-working Vice Chairman, Dick Solomon; the tireless Shannon Fairbanks and family and the entire staff who work to keep our doors open.Because of them, we have momentum going, but we really need your help and support to sustain it. As we near the end of the calendar year I hope you will consider Layalina Productions in your charitable giving. Your tax-deductible donations enable us to continue reaching millions of viewers through our programs as we strive to bridge the gap between the United States and the Arab world.

With my best regards,

Richard S. BodmanChairman of the Board

Chairman’s Message

Generation Entrepreneur Broadcast Premiere on OSN

On Wednesday, October 2nd, the world broadcast premiere of Layalina’s Generation Entrepreneur took place in primetime on Orbit Showtime Network’s (OSN) Yahala! Shabab, the most-watched channel on the number one pay TV satellite network in the Middle East and North Africa region.

The show secured a primetime grid slot, with episodes airing every Wednes-day night at 19:00 GMT (7PM in Mo-rocco, 8PM in Alge-ria, 9PM in Egypt and Lebanon, 10PM in Iraq and Saudi Arabia). Episodes re-aired on Thurs-days, Fridays and Saturdays and were available to OSN Play subscribers for online streaming.

The reality series features young Lebanese, Egyptian and Tunisian innovators competing for funding for their start-up companies as part of the INJAZ Al-Arab entrepreneurship program. Episodes follow a cast of enterprising, talented students who believe in the promise of economic opportunity despite record youth unemployment throughout the region. In the finale, winners from each episode compete against students from twelve other Arab countries in the hopes of securing the title of Best Company of the Year. Ultimately, the series showcases the spirit of hope and innovation of young people across the Arab world.

“The INJAZ miniseries reflects our strategy of promoting youth initiatives and acquiring original content with a strong positive message,” said Ms. Khulud Abu Homos, Senior Vice President of Programming and Creative Services at OSN. “We believe in local talents and are fully committed to programs that help the youth of today become leaders of tomorrow. Generation Entrepreneur is compelling viewing because of its honesty and great storytelling.”We have received positive feedback about the series from viewers and supporters via Facebook and Twitter. Wamda.com, a news website that focuses on entrepre-neurship in the region, wrote a feature article about the show.

Layalina Welcomes Dr. Kamal to the Board of Directors

We are delighted to welcome Dr. Raja Kamal as the newest member of Lay-alina’s Board of Directors. Dr. Kamal is the Senior Vice President at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging. Previously, Kamal was the Senior Associate Dean at the Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago, prior to which he served as Director of New Initiatives and International Development at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. During his sixteen years at Harvard, Dr. Kamal internationalized the activities of the Kennedy School and negotiated dozens of programs with governments and private sector organizations.

An economist by training, Dr. Kamal was an adjunct professor of economics and international business at Boston University. He holds advanced graduate degrees in economics, mass communication, and administrative sciences and is a frequent contributor to newspapers in the United States and abroad. He has contributed editorials on global affairs to the Chicago Tribune, The Boston Globe, The Washington Post, USA To-day, Middle East Times and The Daily Star, among many others. His work has also been published in Arabic, Chinese, German, French, Russian and Spanish newspapers.

Generation Entrepreneur is a Layalina production in association with INJAZ Al-Arab. It is directed by Shawn Thompson and created, written and executive produced by Leon Shahabian, Layalina’s Executive Vice President.

“Generation Entrepreneur is compelling viewing

because of its honesty and great storytelling.”

- KHULUD ABU HOMOS, Senior Vice President of Programming

and Creative Services at OSN

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Board of CounselorsPresident George H.W. BushHonorary Chairman

Tarek Abdel-MeguidDavid M. AbshireRichard V. AllenGeorge L. ArgyrosJames A. Baker, IIISamuel R. BergerWayne L. BermanRichard S. Bodman*Reginald K. BrackZbigniew BrzezinskiJohn E. Chapoton*Walter L. CutlerDeborah L. DevedjianMelvyn Estrin*Woods Fairbanks*A.H. FaroukiLee H. HamiltonCarla A. Hills Raja Kamal*Henry A. KissingerTom Korologos*Maura B. MoreySam NunnPaul A. Russo*James SchlesingerBrent ScowcroftGeorge P. ShultzDamaris SkourasRichard H. Solomon*Jeffrey H. SmulyanCarl SpielvogelRobert S. StraussJohn C. WhiteheadFrederick B. Whittemore*Daniel YerginEzra K. Zilkha*Board of Directors Team LayalinaRichard S. BodmanChairman of the Board

Richard H. SolomonVice Chairman of the Board

Paul A. RussoPresident

Leon ShahabianExecutive Vice President &Executive Producer Phyllis L. ChesleyCorporate Secretary & Treasurer

Lenore Bajare-DukesDevelopment Associate & Managing Editor

Leah A. GoldProduction Associate Merym AlmoshaikahEditorial and Development Intern 1250 24th Street NW, Suite 300Washington, DC 20037Tel 202 776 7761Fax 202 776 7762information@Layalina.tvFacebook: /LayalinaProductionsTwitter: @LayalinaTV

Support LayalinaLayalina Productions Inc. is a tax-exempt organiza-tion under section §501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Layalina is funded through tax-deductible donations from individuals and corporations and through grants by foundations based in the U.S. and the Arab world. Please support Layalina by making a tax-deductible donation. To donate by mail, send your check or money order to:

Layalina Productions Inc.Attn: Treasurer1250 24th St. NW, Suite 300Washington DC 20037, USA

For information on stock donations and wire transfers, contact us at information@Layalina.tv or at (202) 776-7765. To donate by credit card, visit www.Layalina.tv and click on the donate button or scan the QR code above with your smartphone.