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Iran's Regional Dynamics in the Near East: A Piecemeal Approach
Dr. Keynoush, who earned her Ph.D. from Tufts University, has conducted research in the Near East for 2 decades. She has contributed to the Commonwealth Club's Member-led Middle East Forum, as has…
Past Event: May 6, 2021
Progress Toward Middle East Peace
Elsalameen, a prominent activist, social media analyst, political commentator and public speaker will discuss Arab-Israeli progress toward Middle East peace with Jonathan Curiel, journalist…
Past Event: April 29, 2021
Voices from Syria
Wendy Pearlman has spent years living in the Arab world. She will discuss her latest book, We Crossed a Bridge and It Trembled: Voices from Syria, a fierce and poignant collection of stories based on…
Past Event: February 9, 2018
Israel and India: 25 Years of Diplomatic Relations
Consul General Andy David and Ambassador Venkatesan Ashok will speak together in celebration of Israel and India’s 25 years of diplomatic relations and their centuries-long historical and cultural…
Past Event: June 2, 2017
Trump and the Middle East 2019
This is the third annual panel about how the Trump presidency is affecting the Middle East. Some experts continue to believe that Trump is destabilizing the region with his impulsive decisions and…
Past Event: April 12, 2019
Trump and the Middle East 2020
This event is the Middle East Forum’s fourth annual panel about how the Trump presidency is affecting the Middle East. Our distinguished panel of Middle East experts will continue the conversation…
Past Event: July 9, 2020
Afghanistan: Current Challenges and Future Prospects
Dr. Qayoumi, former member of The Commonwealth Club’s Board of Governors, is presently advisor to President Ghani of Afghanistan on infrastructure, human capital and technology. He will give a brief…
Past Event: February 28, 2017
The Islamic Enlightenment: The Modern Struggle Between Faith and Reason
Christopher de Bellaigue, who has covered the Middle East since 1996, will discuss his latest book, The Islamic Enlightenment, which discusses Islamic history as it relates to the modern world. De…
Past Event: May 5, 2017
The Qatar Crisis
The distinguished panel will discuss the escalation of tensions between Qatar, a tiny, oil-rich state, and the Persian Gulf nations of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the UAE and Egypt, all of which broke…
Past Event: September 8, 2017
Middle East Hotspots: Geopolitics and Stability
Banafsheh Keynoush, Ph.D., Middle East Scholar; Lecturer; Media Consultant
Jonathan Curiel, Journalist – Moderator
Noted Middle East scholar, media analyst, and translator for four…
Past Event: October 17, 2014
Niveen Rizkalla: PTSD in Syrian Refugees and Secondary Traumatization in Aid Workers
In the context of the catastrophic Syrian refugee crises, Niveen Rizkalla will discuss her work with refugees struggling with PTSD and how secondary traumatization affects aid workers. Rizkalla, a…
Past Event: June 14, 2019
Afghanistan After 18 Years of War
Our distinguished panelists will discuss Afghanistan and the longest war in U.S. history. They will present their personal views about prewar Afghanistan, the present tragedy and what policies and…
Past Event: December 13, 2019
