The Middle East: The key to World Peace?

CONFERENCE-DEBATE

The Middle East: the key to world peace?

Thursday 25th January 2007, 7pm to 8.30 pm

At the Institut Français (the conference will be held in English)

Samir Kassir (1960-2005) was one of Lebanon’s best-known journalists, academics and historians. A prominent activist, he was a strong advocate of freedom for the Palestinians, democracy in Lebanon and Syria and a vocal critic of the Syrian presence in Lebanon. He was assassinated on 2 June 2005 and his assailants remain unknown…In ‘Being Arab’ (Verso, November 2006) (‘Considérations sur le Malheur Arabe’, Actes Sud, novembre 2004), he investigates the huge impact of modernity on the Arab world, and the accompanying shockwaves that turned society upside-down.Drawing on Samir Kassir’s views on the “Arab malaise”, the debate will concentrate on the current crisis in Lebanon and the Middle East, and will explore ways to come to terms with an everlasting tragedy.

Guest speakers:

• Dr Eugene Rogan (chairman), Director of the Middle East Centre, Oxford University (St Antony's College)


• Mr Nadim Shehadi, Associate fellow at the Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House), Director, Centre for Lebanese Studies, Oxford (1986-2005)


• Mr Yossi MekelbergAssociate fellow at the Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House), Head of International Relations department of the British American College, London


• Mr Hazem Saghieh, Political editor of the London-based Arab newspaper al-Hayat


• Mr Trevor Mostyn, Middle East writer, journalist, and former correspondent of the Financial Times in Cairo

For those who wish to join us, there will be a few drinks after the conference at the bar of the Institute.

For registration and enquiries, please contact Gabriel Piérard - gab.pierard@gmail.com - 079 14 62 55 16