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Author talk and book signing!*
Join the School of Middle Eastern and North African Studies and CMES for our Fall 2015 Colloquium Series
Joseph A. Kéchichian is a Senior Fellow, King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Anyone who has read about the late King Faysal bin ‘Abdul ‘Aziz bin ‘Abdul Rahman Al Sa‘ud, wrote about him and his accomplishments, and otherwise thought about the dramatic transformations that occurred in the Kingdom cannot, even for a brief moment, overlook the role that ‘Iffat Al Thunayan played in the contemporary history of the country. To claim otherwise would be denied justice to a remarkable woman, and while similar figures marked the contemporary history of the Al Sa‘ud, none matched Queen ‘Iffat in depth and accomplishments. What she accomplished, often behind the scenes, advanced a variety of goals and improved conditions for women in the conservative Arab monarchy. Yet, while improved education levels for both boys and girls was her primary objective, she also delved in health concerns, and a variety of other remarkable initiatives. The talk will introduce her story in the hope that the listener will develop an interest in her personality as a key Al Saud leader in her own right.
*Books may be purchased at the UA Bookstore, Main Gate Branch (Corner of Park and 2nd) - please pick up a copy in advance of the event in order to take advantage of the Author signing immediately following the lecture!
Dr. Joseph A. Kéchichian is Senior Fellow at the King Faisal Center for Research & Islamic Studies in Riyadh, Sa‘udi Arabia, the CEO of Kéchichian & Associates, LLC, a consulting partnership that provides analysis on the Arabian/Persian Gulf region, specializing in the domestic and regional concerns of Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and the Yemen; and a Senior Writer with the Dubai-based Gulf News, which is the top-ranked English-language news daily in the United Arab Emirates, available online at http://www.gulfnews.com. He served as the Honorary Consul of the Sultanate of Oman in Los Angeles, California between 2006 and 2011.
