Middle East: Problems and Prospects

An international symposium entitled “Middle East: Problems and Prospects” was organized by the Dialogue Chair of Middle Eastern Studies – Intercollege in cooperation with the Research and Development Center – Intercollege on 18-19 June 2004.

The symposium focused on three aspects of the broad theme of the Middle East to be examined in three sessions:

I. “Religious Dimension”,

II. “The Need for Security and the Terrorist Threat”, and

III. “Democracy in the Middle East”.  

Speakers, representing a wide spectrum of disciplines and backgrounds, came from the USA, the UK, Germany, Russia, Iran, Israel, Lebanon and Cyprus.

The Symposium opened on Friday, June 18 at 17.35 by Professor Van Coufoudakis, Rector of Intercollege and a keynote address was made by Martin Indyk of the Brookings Institution. Farid Mirbagheri made the welcoming address.