11th annual Harvard Arab World Conference to be held in Oman

Muscat: Harvard Arab Alumni Association (HAAA) is organizing the 11th annual Harvard Arab World Conference to be held at the Shangri La Barr Al Jissah Hotel in Muscat, Oman, on Saturday April 2, 2016.
Titled “Innovation: Inspiring a New Arab World”, the conference, will bring together nearly 400 participants representing a diverse community of Harvard alumni, professors, thinkers, entrepreneurs, policy makers and leaders all sharing an interest and commitment to the renewal and development of the Arab world.
The conference comes to Oman for the first time after being held in past years in Abu Dhabi, Amman, Cairo, Damascus, Doha, Dubai, Rabat and Tunis.
Open to the public, the conference will explore a multitude of innovative initiatives emerging out of the Arab World and will not only tackle topics of technology and the economic sphere, but will also discuss the opportunities in the areas of education, the arts, religion and policy. The conference will also feature the first ever HAAA-sponsored startup pitch competition in the Arab World. A high profile panel of judges will decide on the winner.
This year’s programme features a large number of distinguished speakers, including Opening Keynote Addresses by HE Yusuf bin Alawi, Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs of the Sultanate of Oman and Mohammed bin Mahfoudh Al Ardhi, Executive Chairman of Investcorp and Chairman of the National Bank of Oman.
HE Ambassador Marc J. Sievers, the US Ambassador to Oman will also deliver welcome remarks.
In addition, the event will include five focused panels, “Innovative Politics: Finding Common Grounds in Regional Conflicts”, “Building the Innovation Economy”, “Innovation in Arab Schools”, “Innovation in the Art and Culture”, “Intellectual Innovation: A New Islamic Narrative”, “Innovation & Entrepreneurship”
These panels will feature over 25 speakers from across the Arab world and globally, including- H.E. Mr. Haidar Al Attas, Former Prime Minister of Yemen, Jean-Marie Guehenno, President of International Crisis Group, Haya Al Ghanim, Director of Innovation, Qatar Science & Technology Park, Aimen bin Ahmed Al Hosni, CEO, Oman Airports Management Company, Maysa Jalbout, CEO of the Abdullah Al Ghurair Foundation for Education, Sheikh Mohammed Said Al Mamari, Advisor to the Minister of Endowments and Religious Affairs in Oman, Muna Abu Sulayman Co-founder, Meedan.com, Co-host, MBC, Mudassir Sheikha, CEO of Careem
Carine Abi Akar (’13), Board Member of the HAAA and Conference Co-Chair noted that this year’s conference “focuses on driving positive change, and will celebrate the Arab world’s embrace of innovation as a catalyst for transformation in a multitude of areas from technology to art.”
Ahmed T. el-Gaili (’03), President of the HAAA and Conference Co-Chair also added that “the HAWC is an opportunity to convene the next generation of thinkers in the region alongside accomplished leaders from a variety of fields. Through such events we hope to foster a constructive conversation around critical issues facing the Arab world.”
HAAA will also host, on April 1, an Admissions Information Session for students interested in applying to Harvard College, and the different graduate schools throughout the university.
For more information and registration, visit http://harvardarabalumni.org/conf_event/harvard-arab-world-conference-2016/