The Middle East Studies Center educates students and staff about Middle Eastern happenings, as well as promoting diplomatic ties between the region and the United States.
“It is ultimately to showcase the culture, language and art of the Middle East and North Africa,” vice president Fadoua Loudiy said. “Part of the mission is to help those of Middle Eastern descent connect with their history.”
The program hosts many international guest speakers including artists, musicians and authors.
“We organize a lot of events,” Loudiy said, “We do activities, movies and discussions … We also have festivals to celebrate particular Middle Eastern holidays.”
Additionally, the group hosts conferences at Slippery Rock University. In 2017, they welcomed the Consortium for Education Resources on Islamic Studies to campus.
Coming up is an event entitled “The Middle East Café”, organized by the Middle East Studies Center and the anthropology department. It will feature desserts, beverages and music while honoring cultures within the Middle East and North Africa.
More events have been scheduled for the fall 2022 semester. These include a panel discussion and a movie night, both still with tentative dates.
The Middle East Studies Center is run by faculty and meets about once a month.
“Unfortunately, at this point, we don’t have any students that are involved,” Loudiy said. “We invite students to join so that we have their voices represented in the center as well.”
