Second World Congress for Middle Eastern Studies
Amman, Jordan, 11-16 June 2006

The Royal Institute for Inter-Faith Studies (RIIFS) is pleased to announce that it has been chosen to organize and host the Second World Congress for Middle Eastern Studies (WOCMES-2), which will take place in Amman, Jordan on 11-16 June 2006. This will be the first time that experts on the Middle East drawn from all over the world and all branches of the humanities and social sciences (including economics, political science, media studies and others) will assemble together in the region to share and exchange their research, experience and ideas, and to discuss the challenges of methodology vs. theory and praxis vs. politics and their possible resolutions. It promises to be an unprecedented event that will finally bring Middle Eastern studies to the Middle East. The first WOCMES, held in Mainz, Germany, and was based upon an initiative of several Middle East Studies Associations, including the Middle East Studies Association of North America (MESA), the European Association for Middle Eastern Studies (EURAMES) and the German, British, French and Italian Middle Eastern studies associations (DAVO, BRISMES, AFEMAM, SeSaMO), as well as their equivalents elsewhere in Europe and the Arab and wider world. The event was an unqualified success, bringing together some 2,000 scholars and experts from 52 different countries to share and exchange their research, experience and ideas through 1110 individual presentations in over 400 panels, workshops, symposia and exhibitions.

RIIFS has extended invitations to all the institutions and organizations that took part in the First World Congress and requested that they inform their members about WOCMES-2 and consider how they may contribute to its success. In particular, RIIFS asks that they begin coordinating their 2006 activities, organizing panels, workshops, symposia and major conferences, under the WOCMES-2 umbrella with the WOCMES-2 Secretariat as soon as possible. This invitation also applies to other associations, research centres, university departments, international organizations and institutions which did not take part in the First World Congress, but which are involved in the study of the Middle East, North Africa and the Muslim states of Central Asia in addition to those areas of the world directly or indirectly affected by developments in these regions. A call for papers from individual scholars has been sent out also.

Local and international media and high-ranking decision-makers involved in political, economic and cultural spheres are also expected to attend the Second World Congress and to disseminate, in the months that follow, the new ideas and interpretations that they encounter there. The working language of the congress will be English, with some French and Arabic.

Because the Second World Congress will actually take place in the Middle East, the cultural program is expected to be particularly rich. Organizers are presently considering two book fairs (Arabic/International) involving book-sellers, publishers and authors; exhibitions of modern Arab art by Jordan’s national and local galleries; other exhibitions related to various aspects of Middle Eastern studies; a film festival with panel discussions; and concerts featuring musicians from across the Arab world. The timing will also be advantageous since the weather will be pleasant and many academics will be on their summer break, leaving them with ample time to explore Jordan’s well-known tourist attractions (such as Petra, Jerash, Madaba and Mount Nebo), as well as those in neighbouring countries, during their visit to the region. All registration for WOCMES-2 should be done on line by visiting the following website www.wocmes2.org . The dead line for early registration is 1 October 2005. This website is designed to accommodate the entire registration process – from payment of fees to the submission of abstracts for panels and papers – for those with internet access.

The Royal Institute for Inter-Faith Studies is proud to have been selected as the organizer for this unique academic event, which will strengthen and build regional and global networks for joint research. Please post the attached announcement where your colleagues can see it.

We hope that you will work with us to make WOCMES-2 a memorable and meaningful experience. Please direct all related correspondence to the WOCMES-2 Secretariat at wocmes2@riifs.org .

We look forward to hearing from friends and colleagues, old and new, in the coming months.

HRH Prince El Hassan bin Talal, President of WOCMES-2
HE Ambassador Hasan Abu Nimeh, Director of RIIFS
Baker al-Hiyari, General-Secretary of WOCMES-2