JUNE 06 Newsletter

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Amman Hosts Second World Congress on Middle East Studies
Maria Dayton

The Second World Congress on Middle East Studies (WOCMES-2) convened in Amman, Jordan from June 11th to the 16th and brought together academics, researchers, professionals, and students to discuss and debate issues of relevance to the Middle East and North Africa. The Congress welcomed over 1200 participants from 70 different countries to Jordan where they were able to participate in hundreds of different academic panels, roundtables, scholarly exhibitions, and cultural events. There were many distinguished speakers including HM King Abdullah II of Jordan and HRH Prince El Hassan bin Talal, whose organization the Royal Institute for Inter-Faith Studies sponsored the event. Both men stressed the importance of the Congress and the opportunity it presented for Middle Eastern specialists from every field to meet and exchange research as well as address the challenges of the region and work towards practical and rigorous solutions.

WOCMES-2 was the first major Congress of Middle Eastern Studies that has ever taken place in the region itself, which made it a unique opportunity for those in the Arab world who have had trouble traveling to the US or Europe for similar events. The open and inclusive nature of the Congress was evidenced by the fact that Jordan guaranteed visas to all participants who were registered for the Congress and who could show proof of a valid passport. This fact led many previously neglected scholars from the developing world to take part in the Congress which in turn worked to strengthen regional as well as international ties between a broader spectrum of specialists in the field.

The First and Second WOCMES Congresses are just two of the of many activities organized and sponsored by the Royal Institute for Inter-Faith Studies (RIIFS) founded in Amman in 1994 by HRH Prince El Hassan bin Talal. The RIIFS works to provide a forum within the Arab world that allows for the interdisciplinary study of religion and cultural interaction on a local, regional, and international level. Particular focus is made on the contribution of non-Muslims to the Arab world in an effort to increase respect for religious and cultural diversity. This commitment to diversity and cross-cultural communication led the RIIFS to allow the participation of Israeli academics and civil society in WOCMES-2. This decision led to public criticism of the Congress as well as the boycotting of the event by many Arab intellectuals. In fact, the film festival which was presented as a major part of the Congress was pulled at the last minute due to pressure from its Lebanese organizers. Despite the controversy the Congress was still considered a success and many participants expressed support of the RIIFS’s decision to engage Israeli academics and to resist calls for their removal from the program of events.