It is little wonder that educators often feel some trepidation when teaching about the Middle East. It is, first of all, an enormous region of great diversity, so mastering the content alone is daunting. Furthermore, it is a region within which and over which there is a great deal of controversy, so it can be difficult to accurately and fairly present the various points of view required to understand any particular conflict or issue.

The Outreach Center can help teachers work through these issues. We are always available for consultation on planning a unit, lesson, or course on the Middle East or related topics. We can suggest resources and approaches to teaching about the region that have been used successfully by other teachers.

Public Events and Cultural Fair Planning

If you are planning a public event or international cultural fair, we can also help you to develop these activities. For example, we work to help schools who sponsor an annual international fair bring the insights that exposure to other cultures can bring into the classroom itself for a richer, more intellectually rigorous and meaningful experience for students and teachers alike.

News Media, Business and Government

We also frequently work with the news media to provide background information to contextualize complex stories and issues in the news, or to explore the framework for features on aspects of the Middle East and Islam.

We also work with members of the business community, library cultural programming coordinators, and officials at government agencies at different levels to share our knowledge and experience of the region, its history, cultures and religions, in order to enhance their work.

If you would like to meet with us to discuss a how to plan an upcoming event, course, or cultural affair, or for more general information about the Middle East, please contact us at cmesoc@fas.harvard.edu .