5th Harvard Arab Alumni Conference February 10, 2007 Center for Government and International Studies Tsai Auditorium Cambridge, Massachusetts Conference Overview. Recent and ongoing conflicts in the Middle East - Palestine, Iraq, and Lebanon - raise the fundamental question: "In what direction is the Middle East heading?"   To examine this question, the Harvard Arab Alumni Association's 5th conference focused on three trends sweeping through the Middle East: the shifting political dynamics affected by Iraqi politics, sectarian divisions and the increasing role of Islam in government; the revitalization of the region's economies; the region's social development agenda. The conference explored the regional implications of these trends and highlighted the stories of individuals and organizations who have affected the region's course for the better.