13th Annual International Studies Symposium

As the oldest and most populous country in the Middle East, Egypt has been a dynamic force in Middle Eastern Politics. The 13^th annual International Studies Symposium at Glendon will examine attempts to balance the demands of this modern state with traditions rooted in its ancient culture and religions. 

The symposium, “Beyond Myths: Dialogues on Contemporary Egypt,” will tackle a number of timely issues for Egypt: What are the challenges facing Egypt’s modernization processes? What is Egypt's future role in the Middle East peace process?  And what are the security dilemmas that resource scarcity creates for the booming population? 

Speakers from around the world will explore the links between good governance, democratization and human rights in Egypt. They include:

• Emad Shahin professor from Harvard University
• Habiba Hassan-Wassef, former director of the World Health Organization
• Farkhonda Hassan, Secretary General of the National Council for Women in Egypt
• Michael Grant, desk officer for Egypt in Canada’s Department of External Affairs
• Heba Nassar, head of the economics department at Cairo University

The symposium, organized by seven undergraduate students in the International Studies program at Glendon, will provide a full day of interactive panel discussions, keynote addresses, Egyptian cuisine and entertainment. Past symposiums have received awards such as the Canadian Bureau for International Education’s Student Leadership in Internationalization Award, and the Internationalization Award from Scotia Bank and the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada.

The symposium will be held at Glendon Campus, York University’s bilingual campus, 2275 Bayview Avenue (at Lawrence Avenue), Toronto. For more information, visit www.egyptsymposium.org .

York University is the leading interdisciplinary research and teaching university in Canada. York offers a modern, academic experience at the undergraduate and graduate level in Toronto, Canada’s most international city. The third largest university in the country, York is host to a dynamic academic community of 50,000 students and 7,000 faculty and staff, as well as 200,000 alumni worldwide. York’s 11 faculties and 24 research centres conduct ambitious, groundbreaking research that is interdisciplinary, cutting across traditional academic boundaries. This distinctive and collaborative approach is preparing students for the future and bringing fresh insights and solutions to real-world challenges. York University is an autonomous, not-for-profit corporation.

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Media Contact:

Janice Walls, Media Relations, York University, 416 736 2100 x22101 / wallsj@yorku.ca