Join the the AFLSE San Diego's Laurel Salon at Mingei's Community Mondays for "Centering Humanity: Daring to Hope for the Middle East," a conversation on the Middle East centered on the humanity of its peoples. This is an opportunity to engage one of the most difficult and consequential subjects in a space designed for developing a deeper understanding and appreciation of our shared humanity. Hosted at Mingei, with two professors, in a salon format rather than a standard panel. A space for reflection, dialogue, and a more human conversation. Details: Monday, April 20, 2026 at 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. (Doors at 5:30 p.m.) Mingei International Museum: La Atalaya Theater Entrance: Alcazar Garden Entrance 1439 El Prado Balboa Park San Diego, CA 92101 Centering Humanity: Daring to Hope for the Middle East This salon invites a conversation on the Middle East centered on the humanity of its peoples. At a time when violence and cruelty in the region can give rise to despair, we gather to consider what it means to hope for a dignified life for all. With Dr. Samir Saran, Observer Research Foundation Dr. Farid Abdel-Nour, San Diego State University Dr. Michael Provence, UC San Diego Samir Saran, Samir Saran is President of the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), India’s premier think tank headquartered in New Delhi, with affiliates in North America and the Middle East. His research spans global governance, climate and energy policy, technology, and Indian foreign policy. He curates the Raisina Dialogue — India’s flagship annual platform on geopolitics and geo-economics — and spearheads ORF’s efforts to foster international partnerships and incubate young leaders networks globally. He serves as Chair of the Global Future Council on Geopolitics at the World Economic Forum. His recent books include GeoTechnoGraphy, The New World Disorder and The Indian Imperative, and Pax Sinica. Farid Abdel-Nour, Professor of Political Science at San Diego State University. He is former Department Chair and a founding member of the Center for Islamic and Arabic Studies, which he has directed for multiple terms and will again direct starting in fall 2026. His research and teaching interests are in political theory and Israel/Palestine. His scholarly work focuses on the responsibility that ordinary citizens bear for outcomes brought about by their states. Michael Provence, Professor, Department of History, University of California, San Diego. He earned a PhD in Modern Middle Eastern History from the University of Chicago. He has lived and studied in Syria, Lebanon, Germany, and France. He is the author of The Last Ottoman Generation (2017) and The Great Syrian Revolt (2005), both translated and widely reviewed in Arabic and Turkish, as well as many articles on the late Ottoman and colonial Middle East of the early twentieth century. Hosted by: The Alumni & Friends of the London School of Economics San Diego Chapter Presented by: Amanda Toombs Thindu Wijesooriya There is no cost to this event, but registration is required. RSVP on the AFLSE registration page: https://www.aflse.org/article.html?aid=3767 Contact sandiego@aflse.org for more details.
