In 1961, Syria seceded from the United Arab Republic and formed the independent Syrian Arab Republic.

CNN: Monday,

Artefacts from the National Museum of Damascus (the Syrian Arab Republic) and the Nubian Museum in Aswan (Egypt) are selected to highlight this intercultural exchange of scientific, religious and artistic forms of knowledge.

UNESCO: CULTURE

In 1976, in the Western Sahara, the Polisario Front proclaimed the Saharan Arab Democratic Republic.

CNN: Friday,

Syria went so far as to join itself to Egypt in the short-lived United Arab Republic.

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The Consultation with the European and North American National Commissions will follow similar meetings of the four other UNESCO regions being hosted by the National Commission of Morocco (Arab States), Republic of Korea (Asia and Pacific) and subsequent meetings hosted by the National Commissions of Trinidad and Tobago (Latin America and the Caribbean) and Uganda (Africa).

UNESCO: UK Hosting Meeting for European National Commissions

These extra-budgetary resources were generously granted by Bulgaria, Cyprus, Flanders (Belgium), Hungary, Japan, Norway, the Republic of Korea, Spain, the United Arab Emirates and the European Union.

UNESCO: Intangible Cultural Heritage

It's a partnership that concerns the U.S. and Arab nations wary of Iran's Islamic republic government.

CNN: UAE may be first Arab nation to restore full ties with Iraq

Compared with its Arab counterparts, Turkey's secular order has deep roots, going back to the creation of a republic by Mustafa Kemal in 1923.

ECONOMIST: The Turkish model: A hard act to follow | The