2010 Arab World Conference

Transforming the Arab world:
New Perspectives on Modernity, Culture, and Change

بين التغير و التحول: قراءة جديدة لواقع العالم العربي

W Hotel Doha, Qatar April 22nd 2010

Under the Patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al Missned
Consort of His Highness the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani
And Chairperson of the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science, and Community Development

"Transforming the Arab World: New Perspectives on Modernity, Culture, and Change” was the fifth in a series of annual Arab World Conferences of the Harvard Arab Alumni Association (HAAA), and the most successful of the series to date.

The 2010 Doha conference harnessed the potential of diverse groups of Harvard alumni living in the region in order to identify innovative trends and successful strategies that pertain to the globalizing sectors of business, culture, education, health, and media in the Arab world today. Distinguished speakers presented their perspectives on a variety of contemporary and critical issues and processes concerning the region such as “modernizing” women, "privatizing" healthcare, “reforming” education, “globalizing” culture, and “democratizing” knowledge.

The conference brought together Harvard scholars, distinguished Arab intellectuals, leading policy makers and prominent figures in the business community to advance fresh perspectives and new agendas for transformation of an Arab region faced with globalizing realities. In addition to providing an opportunity to learn about key trends taking place in the Arab world, the conference provided participants with an opportunity to discover Doha, meet Harvard faculty and researchers, and network with other Arab alumni of leading educational institutions such as Georgetown, Columbia, Yale, Stanford, The London School of Economics, and INSEAD, among others. The conference will take place through collaborations with institutions including Georgetown University, The Museum of Islamic Art, The Dubai School of Government and Harvard University.

Disclaimer: The Harvard Arab Alumni Association is an independent, not-for-profit organization. Nothing that is published by the HAAA should be taken to represent the opinions or endorsement of Harvard University, the President and Fellows of Harvard College, or the Harvard Alumni Association.