The Exchange

The Exchange is an effort by Mideastwire.com and its partners to promote understanding and academic enrichment through a variety of city-focused conferences in and around the Middle East.

During their stay, typically lasting from one to two weeks, students and professionals from around the world engage directly with some of the leading intellectuals, academics and political leaders in the country - representing all sides.

The first Exchange was launched in June 2008 in Beirut, Lebanon. Now, several years on, over 270 students from 44 different countries have participated, with many going on to work as diplomats in their home countries, for NGOs serving the region and as social entrepreneurs.

This Summer's Arabic and Politics Exchange will be held in Tunis, Tunisia, June 14-July 12. Participants can choose from five different options in order to join our group (detailed here):

OPTION A: Politics Only-Full Course, June 14-July 12

OPTION B: Politics Only-Half Course, June 14-June 28 or June 28-July 12

OPTION C: Arabic Only-Full Course, June 14-July 12

OPTION D: Politics & Arabic-Full Course, June 14-July 12

OPTION E: Opening Conference Featuring ICG, June 15-16 (detailed here)

During the opening weekend of this summer’s Exchange, participants will engage in 18 hours of consecutive sessions led by more than a dozen International Crisis Group experts and senior staff, covering the topics that ICG regularly analyses in MENA through its policy reports, commentary and alerts. ICG country experts will be led by Robert Malley, ICG’s director of MENA programs. For those participants who do not wish to attend the different modules of the Exchange, above, conference admission is $350/Exchange Alumni $250. (Note that accommodation and meals are not included in the conference price)

Our other programs: