The Middle East Institute Invites You to Join their Annual Awards Banquet and Conference November 14-15, 2017
The Middle East Institute (MEI) invites you to join their 71st Annual Awards Banquet and Conference on November 14-15, 2017, at the Capital Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C.
Every year, MEI’s gala brings together hundreds of Middle Eastern and American diplomats, Fortune 100 business leaders, and international policymakers to acknowledge the work being done in the Middle East by leading philanthropists and social entrepreneurs.
Banquet tickets can be purchased here.
This year MEI is pleased to recognize Jordanian entrepreneur, Fadi Ghandour, for his work helping disadvantaged communities through youth activism, civic engagement, and education, and providing access to capital for microbusinesses.
In addition, HRH Sheikha Hussa Sabah al-Salem al-Sabah of Kuwait will be honored for her work as the founder and Director-General of the Dar al-Islamiyyah, which preserves centuries of priceless regional art from loss and destruction.
The banquet will also feature comedian Ahmed Ahmed as our Master of Ceremonies for the evening and an exciting live auction conducted by Christie’s New York.
The following day, renowned experts will lead panel discussions on key issues in the Middle East at MEI’s 2017 Annual Conference: “Conflicts, Costs, and Policy Pathways”. Please register as capacity is limited.
MEI is the top Middle East-focused think tank within the United States and is ranked within the top 3 percent of all think tanks in the nation. according to the 2016 Global Go-To Think Tank Index Report. But MEI is much more than a think tank. MEI also teachs the languages of the Middle East and maintains a 20,000+ volume library, including some rare works that are over 300 years old, plus maps, prints, and a collection of 18,500 slides of the entire region taken between the years 1950-2000.
MEI also has an active internship and professional development program to train the next generation for international careers, and a growing arts and culture program that highlights performers, poets, writers, musicians, and visual artists from the Middle East.
MEI is now in the midst of a historic expansion. Located for 71 years in a 19th century Dupont Circle brownstone that belonged to MEI founder, George Camp Keiser. MEI has since outgrown its office space, and, in 2016, launched an expansion campaign to rebuild the present location. In January 2019, MEI will move into their new headquarters, which will be nearly three times the size and feature an art gallery, a state-of-the-art TV studio, classrooms, expanded office and meeting space, and a large conference hall for public events.
MEI’s success is a result of the many individuals, foundations, governments, and corporations who have invested in MEI’s development over the years. New members are invited you to join MEI. Members receive special invitations to private events throughout the year, a subscription to MEI’s flagship Middle East Journal, one of the leading academic publications in the world about the Middle East, and discounts to our annual banquet—which is coming up in just a few weeks.
Please feel free to contact Kevin Cowl, Vice President for Development, The Middle East Institute with questions about MEI membership, the banquet, or any general inquiries at 202.785.1141 x213 or kcowl@mei.edu.