Our team:
The Civilization Rights Institute is driven by a dedicated and visionary team composed of its founders, a dynamic group of researchers who serve as the intellectual engine powering its mission, and a distinguished network of partners and supporters. This diverse constellation includes scholars, academics, and business leaders who believed in the vision of Civilization Rights from its earliest conceptual stage and stood behind it until it became a living institution contributing meaningfully to global discourse. Their collective commitment transformed an idea into a luminous and impactful reality. The Institute is also strengthened by its exceptional ambassadors of Civilization Rights individuals who advocate through words, research, publications, dialogue, and various forms of engagement offering intellectual energy, moral support, and sustained momentum to advance the Institute’s work and values worldwide.
Our Team Members
Ahmed Rashed
President
Professor Ahmed Yehia Rashed is a Professor of Architecture, Consulting Engineer, and distinguished Civilization Rights
Tarek Rashed
Director of Research
Visionary and innovative leader with over two and half decades of experience in academics and international real-world projects.
Proven record in directing operations, charting and implementing strategic plans, translating creative visions into reality,
raising funds, securing grants, and building partnerships.
Eman Al-Saoudi
Researcher at CRI, she is a Mansoura University graduate (2005) with over two decades of experience in architectural design, heritage revitalization, and place-based practice, and is affiliated with the Faculty of Urban and Regional Planning at Cairo University.
She works at the National Organization for Urban Harmony, Ministry of Culture, focusing on visual identity preservation and indigenous urban recovery, and is a published children’s author who integrates architectural storytelling and workshops to promote cultural belonging and spatial awareness.
Basma Shaheen
Basma Shaheen is a Researcher at the Civilization Rights Institute (CRI) and a visionary architect with over a decade of impactful experience at the intersection of heritage conservation, sustainability, and climate change resilience. She specializes in developing innovative, research-driven solutions for sustainable urban environments and heritage preservation, with a strong focus on community-centered approaches, digital transformation, and emerging concepts such as open and green museums.
Her work is grounded in user-centered design, enabling the delivery of context-responsive solutions that enhance community engagement and cultural value. Through her roles in CRI and the Green Communities Research Group at the British University in Egypt, she has demonstrated a strong capacity to lead interdisciplinary research, build strategic partnerships, and contribute to international initiatives. Basma is committed to translating complex research into actionable policy frameworks, while advancing sustainable tourism strategies that support environmentally conscious original heritage environments evolution and the protection of civilizational identity.
Yomna Samy
Yomna Samy is an Egyptian architect and researcher, graduated from Alexandria University, Faculty of Engineering, exploring the intersection of architecture, identity, and civilizational resilience.
She is interested in questions of lost identity, heritage continuity, and the role of civilizations in shaping future development.
Our History
The Civilization Rights Institute was founded on the belief that a scientific, rights-based framework was necessary to address the growing challenges of cultural appropriation, heritage destruction, and inauthentic engagement in the global economy. Born from years of academic research and advocacy, the Institute was officially established to create a neutral, authoritative body to champion these principles worldwide, culminating in the drafting and issuance of the Universal Declaration of Civilization Rights on June 10th
Civilization Rights Day
June 10
We observe Civilization Rights Day annually on June 10th to commemorate the issuance of the Universal Declaration. It is a global initiative dedicated to honoring, recognizing, and reaffirming the rights of civilization that everyone is entitled to.
A Global Hub for a Global Mission
CRI is headquartered in the United States, much like other global organizations such as the United Nations and National Geographic. This strategic location provides the ideal conditions for advancing our mission to protect the rights of civilizations, ancient and modern.
The U.S.'s strong legal framework, global influence, and access to international institutions and funding enhance our ability to raise awareness and foster cooperation on an international scale.
A New Field of Inquiry
Our Science: Civilizology
Our field of inquiry, Civilizology, brings together specialists and scientists from various disciplines to study and document the contributions of human civilizations. It employs scientific approaches to trace the roots of civilization rights and the processes that generate civilization outcomes and artifacts.
From Theory to Practice
Our Application: Civilization Resilience
We believe that civilization resilience is crucial for ensuring continuity. This resilience is the capacity of civilizations to withstand acute shocks and chronic stresses while enhancing their ability to learn, adapt, and grow. It’s about sustaining human civilizations in their original environments by respecting, protecting, and fulfilling their rights.
A Coalition for Change
The Civilization Rights Alliance
As called for in the Declaration, CRI supports the formation of the Civilization Rights Alliance. This is a global coalition of academic institutions, NGOs, foundations, and corporations committed to promoting and adopting the principles of Civilization Rights and uniting efforts to assert these fundamental rights worldwide.
The U.S.'s strong legal framework, global influence, and access to international institutions and funding enhance our ability to raise awareness and foster cooperation on an international scale.
Our Commitment to Neutrality
Our Guiding Principles
Our goals center on research, education, community welfare, and the rights of all civilizations—past, present, and future. We do not support, participate, in, or intervene in any political campaigns, nor do we discriminate based on political orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, or ideology.
Partner With Us
We strive to unite efforts at national and international levels to raise awareness of civilization rights, foster cooperation and dialogue, and reduce tension and misunderstanding. Join us in this vital work.