WASHINGTON, D.C. – As we mark the one-year memorial of Bassem Sabry’s passing, the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy (TIMEP) is honored to contribute to the preservation of the inclusive and progressive values that Sabry promoted during his lifetime. It is with great pleasure that TIMEP announces the selection of Mohamed Adam as its inaugural TIMEP-Atlas Corps Bassem Sabry Democracy Fellow.
A journalist by profession, Adam brings several years of diverse experience and knowledge to this position. [Read Adam’s full biography here] Adam will begin his residential fellowship at TIMEP’s Washington, D.C., office in June 2015, where he will engage in research exploring the role of bias in Egyptian media—a timely topic as Egypt continues to pursue its democratic roadmap.
“Bassem Sabry’s inclusive and objective approach to writing was particularly notable at a time when the Egyptian media was characterized by deep polarization and sensationalism. His balanced voice is deeply missed, but we hope that this fellowship and Mohamed Adam’s work with TIMEP will be a faithful testament to Bassem’s professionalism, and that the work produced through this fellowship will help to bring clarity to some of the very complex issues facing the Middle East region,” said Dr. Nancy Okail, TIMEP’s Executive Director.
The Bassem Sabry Democracy Fellowship is awarded to a young professional with a background in journalism, international relations, political science, or other relevant fields, who is interested in undertaking research on the Middle East or North Africa. Applicants must demonstrate their commitment to furthering the principles of democratic and inclusive change—the values that Sabry promoted during his career. TIMEP announced the creation of the fellowship in May 2014 following the death of the eponymous Egyptian writer and commentator. A partnership between TIMEP and Atlas Corps to sponsor the fellowship was announced in December 2014.
The application deadline for the next Bassem Sabry Fellowship position, for placement in January 2016, will be announced this fall. Please check back on our fellowship website for additional information then. For general inquiries regarding the Bassem Sabry Fellowship, please contact [email protected]. To inquire about how to donate to the fellowship fund, please contact Sara Abdel Rahim at [email protected].
Bassem Sabry, a native of Cairo, was a writer and commentator on Egyptian and regional politics. Sabry’s balanced writing and commentary throughout the 2011 Egyptian revolution and following the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak earned wide praise and attracted a global audience. In addition to publishing articles on his blog, “An Arab Citizen,” Sabry’s work was also featured in local, regional, and international news outlets, including Al-Masry Al-Youm, Al-Monitor, The Atlantic, and Foreign Policy.
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The Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy (TIMEP) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness of democratic transitions in the Middle East through analysis, advocacy, and action.