May 2021
Europe University Institute
The 2021 Middle East Directions Annual Conference will provide an opportunity to discuss the findings in the upcoming e-book Stepping away from the Abyss: Step-by-step toward a New Security system in the Persian Gulf. It will be the first major event organised in the framework of the MEDirections new Regional Security Initiative.
The conference will bring together scholars, researchers, practitioners, policymakers and a distinguished group of international experts who contributed to the e-book to discuss options to design a collective security system in the Persian Gulf region. It will provide a platform for critical analysisof theoretical frameworks and practical options with a multi-disciplinary approach. The conference will be structured around the following thematic areas:
- Historical and theoretical frameworks of regional security in the Persian Gulf
- Analysis of past cases of failures and successes of regional security initiatives, both within and outside the region
- Options for informal dialogue platforms to address the Gulf states’ common problems such as global pandemics, pollution and environmental degradation
- Economic and developmental diplomacy to counter zero-sum game policies
- Exploring the potential of religious diplomacy
- Enhancing existing alternative diplomatic channels, with a focus on Track-II
- Possible options to set de-escalation and de-conflicting mechanisms
For any request regarding scientific contribution or conference partnership, contact Prof. Luigi Narbone and Dr. Abdolrasool Divsallar.
Download the Conference Concept