Bridges of Understanding

Washington, D.C. - Meridian International Center partnered with Bridges of Understanding Foundation again to host a high-level conference on the State of Affairs in the Middle East. Held on December 4, 2009 in Washington, DC, brought together political, economic, financial, and energy experts to discuss "The State of Affairs in the Middle East." Attended by over 100 guests, including representatives from Arab Embassies in the United States, the conference attracted a diverse group of individuals interested in learning more about the current state of the Middle East, and in finding ways to improve relations between the United States and the Arab world.

The conference also highlighted initiatives supported by Bridges of Understanding, including the Youth Talk program which partners American and Arab high schools for videoconferences, dialogue, and increased understanding. Speakers included: Thomas L. Friedman, Columnist for the New York Times; David Bradley, Chairman of the Atlantic Media Company; Justin Dargin, Research Fellow at Harvard?s Dubai Initiative; John Delaney, Chairman and CEO of CapitalSource, Inc.; Michael Farr, President and CIO of Farr, Miller & Washington; Reuben Jeffery, Senior Adviser at CSIS and former Under Secretary of State for Economic, Energy, and Agricultural Affairs; H.E. Houda Ezra Ebrahim Nonoo, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the United States; and representatives from both Meridian International Center and Bridges of Understanding.

"We are delighted to be working with our partner, Bridges of Understanding, to co-host this conference on the State of Affairs in the Middle East," said Ambassador Stuart W. Holliday, President of Meridian. "At this moment in time, working together to build bridges of understanding between the United States and the Arab world is an important step in building a world of mutual prosperity and security."

Bridges of Understanding also presented the second annual Building Bridges Award to Mr. Michael M. Kaiser, President of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, for his Arabesque Festival and other initiatives to increase awareness of the Arab world. Kaiser noted that "The arts have the power to teach us about other people - what they find beautiful, what they are concerned about, how they live. We cannot make peace if we do not understand each other. ... We at the Kennedy Center are committed to presenting Arab artists long into the future." Kaiser was present at the conference to receive the award from Samia Farouki on behalf of the organization.

Ambassador Karim Kawar, President of Bridges of Understanding and former Jordanian Ambassador to the United States commented, "As none of the conference topics is isolated to one country or one hemisphere, their global impact serves to reiterate the importance of the work we do, highlighting the interconnectedness of the globe today and the need for building bridges of understanding."

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About Meridian International Center: Meridian combines world public opinion, a neutral convening forum for international leaders and cultures, a strategic location, and the energy of willing public and private actors to build understanding and collaborate on solutions to global challenges we face together. For more information, visit www.meridian.org.

About Bridges of Understanding: Bridges of Understanding is a non-profit, non-political organization devoted to supporting projects and efforts that foster better understanding between the American people and people of the Arab world. For more information, visit www.bridgesofunderstanding.org