Past Events: 2005

January

Thursday, January 20, 2005 - 12:00-2:00 pm
Middle East Symposium
Is a Two-State Solution a Viable Solution to the Palestinian Problem?
A panel discussion on the viability and options for a Palestinian state by Ian Lustick, Professor of Political Science at UPenn; Harvey Sicherman, Foreign Policy Research Institute; and Mazen Qumsiyeh, Yale University.
Location: Forum at Stiteler Hall (208 S. 37th Street).
Lunch will be served.
Co-sponsored by the Middle East Center the Christopher H. Browne Center for International Politics, and the Penn Arab Student Society.

Thursday, January 20, 2005 - 7:15 pm
Middle East Public Lecture Series
Militant Islam and the War on Terror: Who is the Enemy in the War on Terror and What are the War's Goals?
Presenter: Daniel Pipes, Director of the Middle East Forum.
Location: Logan Hall 17 (249 S. 36th Street).
Co-sponsored by the Middle East Forum at Penn, PennPAC, Temple Students for Israel, and the Middle East Center.
E-mail mnogradi@sas.upenn.edu for more information.

Tuesday, January 25, 2005 - 6:00 pm
Middle East Public Lecture Series
Mesopotamia Endangered: Witnessing the Loss of History
Presenter: Joanne Farchakh, Middle East Correspondent for Archaelogia magazine
Tuesday, January 25, at 6:00 pm.
Location: Rainey Auditorium, University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archeaology and Anthropology (3260 South Street)
Co-sponsored by the University Museum, Center for Ancient Studies and theMiddle East Center

Wednesday, January 26, 2005 - 12 noon
Middle East Seminar Series
Christian Evangelism and Western Imperialism: American Presbyterian Missionaries and Muslim Conversion in Egypt
Presenter: Heather Sharkey, Assistant Professor of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies, University of Pennsylvania
Discussant: Firoozeh Kashani-Sabet, Professor of History, University of Pennsylvania
Location: Asch Center Seminar Room, 3rd Floor, 3818-33 Chestnut Street (St. Leonard's Court)
Sponsored by the Middle East Center
A research paper is distributed for review prior to the seminar. Space limited. To RSVP and receive an electronic version of the paper, please contact spillman@sas.upenn.edu

February

Thursday, February 10, 2005 - 8pm
Middle East Public Lecture
Breaking the Ice
Special presentation by members of the first-ever Israeli-Palestinian Antarctic Expedition. Winner of the 2004 "Search for Common Ground Award for Unique Conflict Resolution through Sport.
Location: William Penn Room, University City Sheraton (36th and Chestnut Sts.)
Co-sponored by the American-Israel Partnership for the Arts, the Consulate General of Israel in Philadelphia, and the Middle East Center

Wednesday, February 16, 2005 - 12 noon
Middle East Seminar Series
"Legal Orders and Humanitarian Gestures: Making Refugees and Citizens in
Gaza"
Presenter: Ilana Feldman, Assistant Professor and Director of Graduate
Studies, Program in Near Eastern Studies, New York University
Discussant: Ian Lustick, Professor of Political Science, University of
Pennsylvania
Location: Asch Center Seminar Room, 3rd Floor, 3818-33 Chestnut Street (St. Leonard's Court)
Sponsored by the Middle East Center
A research paper is distributed for review prior to the seminar. Space limited. To RSVP and receive an electronic version of the paper, please contact spillman@sas.upenn.edu

Thursday, February 17, 2005 - 7pm
Middle East Film Series
I Exist
A documentary on the lesbian and gay Middle Eastern community in the United States.
Location: Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Center, Carriage House at Penn
(3907 Spruce Street)
Co-sponsored by the Middle East Center and the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Center at UPenn

Tuesday, February 22, 2005 - 12-2 pm
Middle East Public Lecture Series
The Pilot's Letter: A 'Black Hawk' Military Refuser Speaks Out
Presenter: Yonatan Shapira, former Air Force captain and co-founder of Israel's elite Black Hawk sqaudron who co-signed with 26 others a "Pilot's Letter" refusing to participate in aerial attacks on populated areas in the West Bank and Gaza Strip
Location: Ben Franklin Room (Room 218), Houston Hall (Spruce Street between 34th and 36th Streets).
Free pizza will be served.
Co-sponsored by Brit Tzedek v'Shalom and the Middle East Center
Contact esther32@aol.com for more information

March

Wednesday, March 2, 6pm
Middle East Culture and Civilization Series
Women Without Men
A special 12 minute segment of the Iranian film-in-progress based on the critically acclaimed novella, Women Without Men, featuring a discussion with the award-winning author and former prisoner of conscience in Iran, Shahrnush Parsipur, and Iranian literary critic Houra Yavari of Columbia University.
Location: Logan Hall, Room 17 (249 S. 36th Street - 36th and Spruce Sts.)
Co-sponsored by the Middle East Center, the Comparative Literature Program, and the Women's Studies Program at Penn
For further infromation, please contact pardis@ccat.sas.upenn.edu

Wednesday-Sunday, March 16-20, various times
Middle East Film Festival at International House
See feature films and documentaries from Iran, Israel/Palestine, Morocco, Egypt and more! All screenings are free.
Location: International House (3701 Chestnut St.)
Co-sponsored by International House and the Middle East Center.
Check IHouse's website at http://www.ihousephilly.org/middleeastweek.htm for more information.

Friday, March 18, 8:30pm
One Muslim. One Jew. One Stage. Two Very Funny Guys.
Comedy duo Rabbi Bob Alper (the world's only practicing clergyman doing stand-up comedy) and Ahmed Ahmed (Egyptian-American L.A. Comedy Store and DC Improv regular featured in the forthcoming "The Onion Movie") present a unique evening of non-political humor. Ages 11 and up.
Location: Steinhardt Hall (215 S. 39th Street).
Sponsored by Penn Hillel, Muslim Student Association, and Penn Arab Student Society, with co-sponsorship from the Middle East Center, Tangible Change, SPEC Fully Planned, Hillel Student Initiatives, Greenfield Intercultural Center, Lubavitch House@Penn, and the Israel Culture Committee.
E-mail Megan at meganbg@sas.upenn.edu for more information.

Monday, March 21, 3pm
Middle East Public Lecture Series
The Role of International Organizations in Domestic Conflicts
Public lecture by Francis Deng, former Sudanese diplomat and leading Africanist
scholar in the areas of conflict, law, diplomacy, and internal displacement at the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University.
Location: Stiteler Hall, The Forum (208 S. 37th Street).
Co-sponsored by the Africa Studies Center and the Middle East Center.
Call 215-898-6971 for more information.

Tuesday March 22, 7 pm
Middle East Cultural Event
An Olive on a Seder Plate
An Olive on the Seder Plate is a multi-media performance that features the talents of over a dozen Jewish musicians, performers, educators and activists. It presents the history and politics of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through a collection of Jewish voices, and speaks to a wide spectrum of audience members.
Location: International House Theatre (37 & Chestnut Sts.)
Sponsored by Salaam/Shalom, Penn Progressive Zionist Alliance, Penn Israel Coalition, the Middle East Center, and the Greenfield Intercultural Center
For more information please visit www.libertycabbage.org

Wednesday, March 23, 12 noon
Middle East Works in Progress Seminar Series
What's the Matter with Yoo? The Crime of Torture, the Role of Lawyers, and the Importance of Abu Ghraib
Presenter: Lisa Hajjar, Associate Professor, Law and Society Program, University of California, Santa Barbara and Author of "Courting Conflict: The Israeli Military Court System in the West Bank and Gaza"
Discussant: Joseph Lowry, Assistant Professor of Arabic and Islamic Studies Department of Near East Languages and Civilizations, University of Pennsylvania
Location: Asch Center Seminar Room, 3rd Floor, 3818-33 Chestnut Street (St. Leonard's Court)
Sponsored by the Middle East Center
This brown-bag seminar is open only to Penn students and faculty; graduate students in particular are strongly urged to attend A research paper is distributed for review prior to the seminar. Space limited. To RSVP and receive an electronic version of the paper, please contact spillman@sas.upenn.edu

Wednesday, March 23, 7pm
Middle East Public Lecture Series
Wither the Rule of Law? Abu Ghraib, Torture, and the Future of US Democracy
Presenter: Lisa Hajjar, Associate Professor, Law and Society Program, University of California, Santa Barbara and Author of "Courting Conflict: The Israeli Military Court System in the West Bank and Gaza"
Location: Logan Hall, Terrace Room (249 S. 36th Street - 36th and Spruce Sts.)
Co-sponsored by the Middle East Center, the Penn Law Chapter of the American Constitution Society, Muslim Law Students Association, Arab Law Students Society, Penn Arab Student Society, and Americans for Informed Democracy - Penn Chapter
Call 215-898-6335 for more information.

Thursday, March 24, from 9:30am-4pm
The World at Your Fingertips: International Career Opportunities &
Undergraduate Research Forum
For undergrads only! Get the inside scoop on international research and service opportunities; hear original research presentations by fellow undergrads; explore your career options in the global market; and take advantage of the unique opportunity to meet professionals in your field. Morning and afternoon refreshments will be served.
Location: Houston Hall, Room 218 (Ben Franklin Room)
Organized by the African Studies Center,
Center for East Asian Studies, Middle East Center, and South Asia Center.
For more information, contact pkaiser@sas.upenn.edu.

Monday, March 28, 7:30pm
Middle East Public Lecture Series
Is the Berlin Wall Coming Down in the Middle East?
Presenter: Charles Krauthammer, nationally syndicated columnist and Pulitzer Prize winner
Location: Steindhardt Hall, Hillel Auditorium (39th & Walnut Sts.)
Co-sponsored by the Middle East Center, Center for Israel and Overseas of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, Hillel of Greater Philadelphia, Middle East Forum Club at Penn, Fox Leadership, Political Science Department, Mr. David Wachs, Mr. Bob Guzzardi, StandwithUS

Thursday, March 31, 6pm
Women and Islamic Law Seminar Series
Women With Mustaches and Men Without Beards: Gender and Sexual Anxieties of Iranian Modernity
Presenter: Afsaneh Najmabadi, Professor of History and of Studies of Women, Gender, and Sexuality at Harvard Universirty
"This book is groundbreaking, at once highly original, courageous, and moving. It is sure to have a tremendous impact in Iranian studies, modern Middle East history, and the history of gender and sexuality."--Beth Baron, author of Egypt as a Woman
Location: Logan Hall, Terrace Room (249 S. 36th Street - 36th and Spruce Sts.)

April

Thursday, April 7, at 5pm
Middle East Public Lecture Series
The French-American War Over Iraq: A Historical Perspective
Presenter: Irwin Wall, Visiting Scholar, Center for European Studies, New York University
Irwin Wall is author of the books "France, the United States and the Algerian War" (2002), and The United States and the Making of Postwar France (1991), as well as numerous articles and reviews. His research and writing have centered on the complex French-American diplomatic relationhip concerning the Middle East. Reception to follow.
Location, Logan Hall, Room 17 (36th and Spruce Sts.)
Sponsored by the French Institute for Culture and Technology at Penn, in partnership with the Middle East Center.
Contact 215-573-3550 for more information.

Thursday, April 7, 6-8:30pm
Middle East Workshop for Teachers
Mesopotamia: From Gilgamesh to Nebuchadnezzar
In this Fertile Crescent, civilization blossomed. See rare clay tablets containing the earliest human writings and read prescriptions that are over 4000 years old. Marvel at the gold, jewels and other grave goods from the burial of Lady Pu-abi. Discuss the state of archaeology today in this region with an Iraqi American recently returned from Iraq and place the ancient world in its modern context. Educational materials included. Act 48 credits available. $5.00 registration fee. Refreshments will be provided.
Location: University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology (33rd and Spruce Streets, Philadelphia)
Co-sponsored by International Classroom, Camden County College, and the Middle East Center
Please call Sue Dyke at 215-898-4066 to register. Open to all educators.

Friday, April 8, 11:15am
Middle East Public Lecture Series
1001 Nights: From Arabia to Disney
Pesenter: Roger Allen, Professor of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, University of Pennsylvania
Join us for a lecture on the origins of "1001 Nights" and its journey through history to world literature
classes and popular culture of today. The lecture will be followed by a Teaching Center Workshop discussing specific stories.
Location: Small Auditorium, Community College of Philadelphia (1700 Spring garden Street in the Bonnell Building).
For more information, call 215-751-8668 .
Sponsored by the Community College of Philadelphia and supported by the Middle East Center.

Monday, April 11, 1pm
Middle East Public Lecture Series
Occidentalism: Arab Views of the West
Presenter: Sabry Hafez, Professor of Modern Arabic Literature and Drama, School of Oriental
and African Studies, University of London.
Location: Houston Hall, Room 311 (Griski Room), 36th & Spruce Sts.
Co-sponsored by the Department of Near East Civilizations and Languages and the Middle East Center.
For more information, contact rallen@ccat.sas.upenn.edu.

Tuesday, April 12, Reception 5-6pm, Talk 6-7pm
Middle East Public Lecture Series
Meeting Resistance: Two Photographers Reveal the Reality Behind the Mask of Clandestine Iraqi Groups
Presenters: Molly Bingham and Steve Connors
Location: Annenberg School for Communication, Room 110(3620 Walnut St.)
Co-sponsored by the Annenberg School for Communications Scholars Program in Culture and Communication and Project for Global Communication Studies, the Middle East Center, and the Program of Cinema Studies
Please RSVP by April 5th, dwilliams@asc.upenn.edu or call (215) 898-8016

Wednesday, April 13 12 noon
Middle East Works in Progress Seminar Series
Between Individual Choice and Divine Constraint: Young Muslims and the Islamic Revival in Contemporary France
Presenter: Mayanthi Fernando, PhD Candidate in Anthropology, University of Chicago, and Exchange Scholar at the University of Pennsylvania
Discussant: Heather Sharkey, Professor of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies University of Pennsylvania
Location: Asch Center Seminar Room, 3rd Floor, 3818-33 Chestnut Street (St. Leonard's Court)
Co-sponsored by the Middle East Center and the French Institute for Culture and Technology at Penn.
This brown-bag seminar is open only to Penn students and faculty; graduate students in particular are strongly urged to attend A research paper is distributed for review prior to the seminar. Space limited. To RSVP and receive an electronic version of the paper, please contact spillman@sas.upenn.edu

Wednesday, April 13, Time: 12:20pm, 1:25pm and 2:20pm
Middle East Public Lecture Series
Ancient Egypt & Ancient China: Comparing Two Civilizations
Presenters: David Silverman, Curator-in-Charge, Egyptian Section,
Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology at the University of Pennsylvania, and Nancy Steinhardt, Professor of Chinese Art, University of Pennsylvania
Back to back public lectures on what archaeology and art reveal about emperors and pharoahs; the good life and the afterlife; gods and ghosts.
Location: Large Auditorium, Community College of Philadelphia (1700 Spring garden Street in the Bonnell Building).
For information, call 215-751-8668 .
Sponsored by the Community College of Philadelphia and supported by the Middle East Center.

Thursday, April 14, 6:30pm
First Annual "Distinguished Global Scholar Public Lecture"
Occidentalism: The West in the Eyes of Its Enemies
Presenter: Dr. Avishai Margalit, Schulman Professor of Philosophy at Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and Visiting Senior Global Research Fellow, Hauser Global Law School Program, New York University
Join us for the National Resource Centers' first annual "Distinguished Global Scholar Public Lecture" with Dr. Avishai Margalit, world-renowned political philosopher and analyst, who will discuss his latest work, co-authored with Ian Buruma, "Occidentalism: The West in the Eyes of Its Enemies," in light of current global events.
Location: Penn Humanities Forum (3619 Locust Walk)
Sponsored by the National Resource Centers at the University of Pennsylvania: Middle East Center, South Asia Center, Center for East Asian Studies, and African Studies Center
Co-sponsored by the Philosophy Department at Penn
For more information, call 215-898-4690 or e-mail spillman@sas.upenn.edu.

Wednesday, April 20, at 7pm
Middle East Cultural Series
Lama Hikyet Maryam (When Maryam Spoke Out)
Special film screening and appearance by director Assad Fouladkar. This film from Lebanon, winner of 22 international film awards, is based on a true story of a couple in a happy marriage, which is disrupted by growing pressure from family members when the wife is unable to conceive a child.
Location: Connelly Center Cinema at Villanova University.
Presented by The Center for Arab and Islamic Studies, and co-sponsored by the Villanova Communication Department, The Graduate Certificate in Strategic Communication Program, and the Middle East Center at Penn.
Contact Nasser Chour at nasser.chour@villanova.edu for more information.

Thursday, April 21, 4:30pm
Women and Islamic Law Seminar Series
The Origins of Family Planning in Egypt
Presenter: Beth Baron, author of "Egypt as a Woman: Nationalism, Gender, and Politics" (University of California Press, 2004).
Beth Baron specializes in and teaches Middle Eastern history at the City University of New York. She has written on the early women’s movement, gender and nationalism, and honor and the state in Egypt. She is currently working on a project on poverty and social welfare and also has an interest in slavery and society. She also co-directs the Middle East and Middle Eastern American Center at the CUNY Graduate Center.
Location: Golkin Room, Houston Hall (3417 Spruce Street).
Co-sponsored by Women in Islamic Law Seminar, Middle East Center, African Studies Center, and others.
For more information, call 215-898-4690 or e-mail spillman@sas.upenn.edu.

Thursday, April 21, 6-8:30pm
Middle East Workshop for Teachers
Islam: The Power of An Idea
Participate in a discussion of the history of Islam. From its inception in the 7th century, to the modern day, Islam has been a major force in the world. We’ll provide the information to let you discuss the topic with confidence. Educational materials included. Act 48 credits available. $5.00 registration fee. Refreshments will be provided.
Location: University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology
(33rd and Spruce Streets, Philadelphia)
Co-sponsored by International Classroom, Camden County College, and the Middle East Center
Please call Sue Dyke at 215-898-4066 to register. Open to all educators.

Tuesday, April 26, 8-3:45pm
Middle East and Africa Workshop for Teachers
Spring Regional Diversity Conference: "Diverse Cultures, Student Achievement & Social Justice"
Presentation Title: "Issues of Diversity in African and Middle East Cultures, Past and Present"
Issues of diversity as it exists in these regions and how they impact K-12 education in the U.S. will be discussed. Information about the extent and scope of diversity as experienced in these regions will be looked at from a historical and contemporary perspective. Valuable information about free resources that aid in the teaching of these regions will be provided.
Location: Bucks County Intermediate Unit #22 (705 Shady Retreat Road, Doylestown, PA)
Contact Ted Davis, Conference Coordinator, at 800-770-4822 , x1340 for more information, or Cindy DeHaven at x1341 to register. Open to all educators and interested members of the community.

May

Thursday, May 5, 7:00pm
Middle East Film Series
Biblical Treasures of Turkey
Dcoumentary and presentation by filmmaker Robin Williams
Location: University of Pennsylvania Museum, Rainey Auditorium (Kress entrance - 3260 South Street)
Reception to follow film. Free admission; reservations required.
Contact Serap Menda at 610-525-4654 for more information.

May 15-22
Palestine Film Festival
Free, week-long film festival featuring films about Palestinian culture and society
For film schedule and locations, go to:
http://philadelphiapalestinefilmfestival.org/

The Middle East Center is co-sponsoring the following films:

Saturday May 21
International House, 3701 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104

1:00 p.m. Film: Wall
Special guest: Mansour Mansour
Director: Simone Bitton
Country: France / Israel
Year: 2004
Duration: 1:36

3:00 p.m. Film Shorts, including: like twenty impossibles, Diary of a
Male Whore, and SlingShot Hip Hop (trailer)
Special Guest: Annemarie Jacir, director of like twenty impossibles

7:00 p.m. Film: Frontiers of Dreams and Fears
Special Guest: Mai Masri, director of Frontiers of Dreams and Fears, and
Al-Bustan Percussion Ensemble
Director: Mai Masri
Country: Lebanon
Year: 2001
Duration: 56 min

June

Tuesday, June 21, 7:00pm
Nation Speaking Tour
Jerusalem Women Speak: Three Women, Three Faiths, One Shared Vision
Featuring Dr. Jumana Odeh, Michal Sagi, and Rana Khoury
Location: Friends Center, 1501 Cherry St. , Philadelphia, PA 19102
Light reception at 6:00 pm. Free admission.
Contact Kathy Bergen at 215-241-7019 for more information.
This event is co-sponsored by the Middle East Center

Friday, June 24, 6:00pm
Iraqi Union Leaders Speak Out!
Featuring labor organization leaders from Iraq
Location: Pallet Restaurant, Founders Room, 3549 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA
Reception begins at 6:00 pm. Tickets: $30; $15 for low-income or unemployed workers.
Contact John Braxton at 215-751-8555 or morbraxton@aol.com for more information.
The Middle East Center is co-sponsoring this event.

July

Thursday, July 21, 4:30-6 pm
Arabic Suq Festival
featuring music by Joe Tayoun Ensemble, calligraphy, mosaics, henna, and drumming
Location: Morris Arboretum, 100 E. Northwestern Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19118
Light Arabic sweets and snacks served, admission free
Contact (267) 303-0070 for more information or go to www.morrisarboretum.org
Event co-sponsored by the Middle East Center

August

Saturday, August 6, 8:30am-8pm
International Cultural Series
FUZEFEST 2005
An all-day interactive workshop featuring dancers and musicians from the
Middle East, Africa, South Asia, Latin America, and East Asia, with a
grand finale public concert at 6 pm. There will be a special morning
workshop for students under 16. Free admission to all workshops,
demonstrations, and the evening concert for those 16 and under!
Location: Bodek Lounge, Houston Hall (3417 Spruce Street)
Co-sponsored by the Middle East Center, South Asia Center, African
Studies Center, and the Center for East Asian Studies.
Please contact azhiadancer@yahoo.com for more information.

September

Tuesday, September 13, 4:00pm
NRC Distinguished Lecture Series
U.S. Foreign Policy and the Promotion of Global Democracy
Featuring Ambassador Richard A. Boucher
Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs and Former State Department Spokesman
Location: Penn Humanities Forum, 3619 Locust Walk
Co-sponsored by the National Resource Centers at Penn and Penn Lauder CIBER
Contact: 215-898-6335

Friday, September 16, 10:10-11:05am
Middle East Lecture Series
"Understanding Contemporary Turkey: Gender Issues, Islam, and Secular Society"
Featuring Dr. Alev Cinar
Assistant Professor of Political Science, Bilkent University, Ankara and 2005 Fulbright Scholar, Bryn Mawr College
Location: W2-48 (West Building, corner of Spring Garden and 17th Street)
Supported by the Fulbright Program and organized by Community College of Philadelphia's U. S. Department of Education Title VI Middle East Grant, in collaboration with the Middle East Center at Penn.
Contact: 215-898-6335

Tuesday, September 20, 7:00pm
Middle East Lecture Series
"Why They Don't Hate Us: Lifting the Veil on the Axis of Evil"
Featuring Professor Mark LeVine
Assistant Professor of Modern Middle Eastern History, Culture and Islamic Studies, University of California-Irvine
Location: Logan Hall, Room 17, 249 S. 36th St.
Co-sponsored by the Middle East Center and Americans for Informed Democracy, Penn Chapter.
Contact: 215-898-6335

Saturday, September 24, 12:00 noon-3:00pm
Special Workshop for K-12 Teachers and International Educators
"Islam: Reality and (Mis)perceptions"
Location: International House, 3700 Chestnut Street
Co-sponsored by the Middle East Center, South Asia Center, and International Classroom at Penn.
For more information please go here.

Tuesday, September 27, 6:00pm
Town Hall Meeting: Hope Not Hate, U.S.-Islamic World Relations
"Perceptions of Power and Security: U.S.-Middle East Relations"
Featuring Trudy Rubin, Worldview Columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer and author of Willful Blindness: The Bush Administration and Iraq; Professor Anne Norton, Professor of Political Science at Penn and author of Leo Strauss and the Politics of American Empire; and Professor Bassam Haddad, Professor of Political Science at St. Joseph's University and Director of the upcoming documentary, Americans, Arabs, and the War on Terror; et al.
Location: Huntsman Hall, Room 335, 3730 Walnut Street
Co-sponsored by Americans for Informed Democracy, Penn Chapter and the Middle East Center.
Contact: vsanchez@wharton.upenn.edu

Thursday, September 29, 7:30pm
Part of "Islam Awareness Week" at Penn
"Islam and the West: Muslim Identity in the Modern World"
Featuring Dr. John Esposito
Professor at Georgetown University and Founding Director of the Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding
Location: Houston Hall, Class of '49 Auditorium, 3417 Spruce Street
Organized by the Muslim Student Association, co-sponsored by the Middle East Center.
Contact: 215-898-6335
For more information on other IAW events, click here.

October

Sunday, October 2, 5:00-9:00pm
Middle East Cultural Series
"Festival of Shared Meaning: A Gathering of Hope and Beauty"
Location: Haverford College, Founders Hall and Marshall Auditorium
Tickets available at the door, $20 general, $10 students
or $15 online in advance, go to www.thepsalm.org
Co-sponsored by the Philadelphia Society of Art, Literature and Music, Global Dialogue Institute at Haverford College, and the Middle East Center at Penn.

Friday & Saturday, October 7-8
Conference
"Borders, Battles, and Cultural Bonds: A Historical and Political Perspective on Gulf Societies"
Location: Irvine Auditorium, Amado Recital Hall, Spruce and 34th Streets
Co-sponsored by the Department of History and the Middle East Center at Penn, and the Gulf/2000 Project at Columbia University.
This conference is free and open to the public.
For a schedule and speaker list, click here.
Contact: 215-898-6335

Friday, October 7, 5:00pm
Janet Lee Stevens Award - 2005
"A Concert of Arab and Middle Eastern Fusion Music"
Featuring Simon Shaheen
Internationally renowned musician and recipient of the 2005 Janet Lee Stevens Award
Location: Houston Hall, Bodek Lounge, 3417 Spruce Street
Co-sponsored by the Janet Lee Stevens Award, the Middle East Center, and the Department of Music at Penn
The concert is free of charge and open to the public.
Contact: 215-898-6335

Friday, October 7, 6:00pm
Middle East Lecture Series
"The United States and the Persian Gulf Wars"
Featuring Professor Gary Sick
NSC member under Presidents Ford, Carter, and Reagan and Senior Research Scholar and Adjunct Professor of International Affairs at Columbia University.
Location: Annenberg School for Communications, Room 110, 3620 Walnut Street
Co-sponsored by the Department of History and the Middle East Center at Penn, and the Gulf/2000 Project at Columbia University.
Contact: 215-898-6335

Wednesday, October 19, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Middle East Business Forum
"Banking, Building and Constitutional Reform: Is Real Progress Taking Place in Iraqi Redevelopment?"
Featuring Kevin Woelflein, former Senior Advisor to Iraqi private banks within the CPA; The Honorable J. Scott Carpenter, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs; Cherie Loustaunau, Director of the Middle East Office, US Department of Commerce; and Maj. Sean Clements, USMC, public affairs in the Marine Corps reserve and recently returned from a seven-month tour as a director of public affairs in Iraq.
Location: Lauder-Fischer Hall, Room 105, 226 S. 37th Street
Co-sponsored by the Joint Mid-Atlantic Arab Trade Center, The National US-Arab Chamber of Commerce, the Penn Lauder CIBER, and the Middle East Center at Penn
Admission to this event: $5 for students, $10 for the general public
Contact: 215-790-1401 or visit www.jmatc.org

Saturday, October 22, 6:00pm
Middle East Culture Forum
"Charity Iftar Banquet"
A fundraising Iftar dinner to raise money for orphans overseas.
Location: Bodek Lounge, Houston Hall, 3417 Spruce Street
Co-sponsored by the Penn Muslim Students' Association, the Penn Arab Student Society, and the Middle East Center.
Contact: 215-898-6335

November

Wednesday, November 9, 7:00pm
Middle East Cultural Series
"The Stage Is Burning: Speaking on the History and Evolution of Israeli Theatre"
Featuring Sinai Peter, Israeli actor, director, writer, teacher and artistic manager
Location: Huntsman Hall, Room F85, 38th and Walnut Street
Reception to follow at Steinhardt Hall, Penn Hillel, 39th and Walnut Street
Co-sponsored by The Consulate General of Israel, the Middle East Center, and The Israel Cultural Committee at Penn Hillel
Contact: 215-898-6335

Thursday, November 10, 4:30pm
Women and Islamic Law Seminar
"Tahlil Marriage: A Textual and Temporal Comparison of Islamic Legal Paradigms"
Featuring Prof. Barbara Stowasser, Georgetown University
Locations: McNeil Building, MCNEIL 285, 3718 Locust Walk
Co-sponsored by the Women and Islamic Law Seminar and the Middle East Center
Contact: 215-898-6335

Friday, November 11, 7:00pm
Middle East Public Lecture Series
"Human Rights and Democracy in the Middle East"
Featuring Aryeh Green, Senior Policy Advisor to former Israeli Minister for Jerusalem and Diaspora Affairs Natan Sharansky
Location: 2nd Floor Library, Steinhardt Hall (Penn Hillel), 215 S. 39th Street
Co-sponsored by the Penn Israeli Coalition and the Penn Middle East Center and others
Contact: Edward Katz, katze@sas.upenn.edu

Tuesday, November 15, 3:30pm
Jewish Studies Program Kutchin Seminar Series
"A Good Place for the Night"
Featuring Savyon Liebrecht, award-winning Israeli author
Location: Houston Hall, Golkin Room (223), 3417 Spruce Street
Co-sponsored by the Jewish Studies Program Kutchin Seminar Series, the Consulate General of Israel in Philadelphia, and the Middle East Center
Contact: 215-898-6654

Thursday, November 17, 7:00 pm
Middle East Studies Initiative Series
"Al-Madinah in the Maghrib: Living Heritage, Aesthetization, and Conservation"
Featuring Hassan Radoine, Near Eastern Languages & Civilizations Lecturer
Location: Carpenter Hall, Room 25, Bryn Mawr College
Co-sponsored by the Middle East Studies Initiative of Bryn Mawr College, Haverford College, & Swarthmore College, and the Middle East Center
Contact: 215-898-6335

Wednesday, November 30, 1:30 pm
Roundtable Discussion
"Contested Elections and Democracy: Examples from Liberia, Ethiopia, Tanzania/Zanzibar, and the Arab World"
Featuring Paul Kaiser, African Studies Center, University of Pennsylvania; Samuel Slewion, independent journalist, Liberia/Philadelphia; Bassam Haddad, Dept. of Political Science, St. Joseph University; Pietro Toggia, Dept. of Criminal Justice, Kutztown University.
Location: Houston Hall (3417 Spruce St.), Room 314 (Class 47)
Co-sponsored by The African Studies Center and the Middle East Center.
Contact: 215-898-6610

Wednesday, November 30, 4:30 pm
Women and Islamic Law Seminar
"Will Women Be Better or Worse Off in the New Iraqi?"
Featuring Trudy Rubin, Foreign Affairs Columnist, the Philadelphia Inquirer
Location: Williams Hall (255 S. 36th St.), Room 816
Co-sponsored by the Provost's Interdisciplinary Seminar Fund, the Middle East Center, and the Women Studies Program
Contact: 215-898-6335

December

Saturday, December 3, 8:00 pm
Middle East Cultural Series
"Shabeh Yaldah Celebration"
Location: 3627 Locust Walk
Co-sponsored by the Penn Persian Society and the Middle East Center
Contact: pardis@ccat.sas.upenn.edu

Thursday, December 8, 4:30 pm
Women and Islamic Law Seminar
"Is There Any Future for us in Trying to be Ladylike?: Terms of Transgression in Hamidian Istanbul"
Featuring: Prof. Elizabeth Frierson, Associate Professor of History, University of Cincinnati
Location: College Hall, Room 209, 3450 Woodland Walk
Co-sponsored by the Provost's Interdisciplinary Seminar Fund, the Women's Studies Program, and the Middle East Center
Contact: 215-898-6335