# Harvard Alumni Summit: Middle East and Africa ![A woman holding a microphone speaks on stage at the Harvard Alumni Summit Middle East & Africa, with the event logo in the background.](/sites/g/files/omnuum8891/files/styles/hwp_1_1__720x720_scale/public/2026-05/HARV%20ALUMNI%20SUMMIT.png?itok=SC_Lf5K9) Weatherhead Center Director Melani Cammett at the summit. Courtesy of event organizersThe first “[Harvard Alumni Summit: Middle East and Africa](https://has-mea.com/)” was hosted at the recently inaugurated Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo on January 16–18, 2026. Weatherhead Center Director Melani Cammett and Executive Director Erin Goodman attended the multiday conference and spoke at multiple panels and events alongside 200+ attendees from some thirty countries. ![Weatherhead and Harvard Club leaders after a private dinner featuring a discussion with special guest H.E. Ambassador Tamim Khallaf. Courtesy of Erin Goodman](/sites/g/files/omnuum8891/files/styles/hwp_1_1__720x720_scale/public/2026-05/AtTheCenter-MESummit-Group-cropped.jpg?itok=4wQoXWGB) Weatherhead and Harvard Club leaders after a private dinner featuring a discussion with special guest H.E. Ambassador Tamim Khallaf. Courtesy of Erin GoodmanThe summit brought together Harvard alumni, regional leaders, business executives, innovators, and change makers from across the Middle East, Africa, and the rest of the world. The event celebrated innovation, collaboration, and sustainable impact by connecting ideas across regions to shape the future of health, education, and the digital economy. Twelve Harvard clubs from the Middle East and Africa cosponsored the summit. Preceding the summit, on Thursday, January 15, the Weatherhead Center hosted a dinner that brought together club leaders from Egypt, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, and Turkey. The private dinner featured a discussion with special guest H.E. Ambassador Tamim Khallaf, spokesperson for the Egyptian foreign ministry and former Weatherhead fellow (2008–2009). On Friday, January 16, following Vice Provost Mark Elliott’s address to the more than two hundred alums in attendance, Director Melani Cammett discussed the activities and goals of the Weatherhead Center in a panel moderated by Executive Director Erin Goodman. Other Harvard centers represented on the panel included the Center for Middle Eastern Studies, the Center for African Studies, and the Center for International Development. On Saturday, January 17, Melani Cammett presented a keynote address titled “Power, Policy & AI” with a focus on the Middle East. Her remarks contextualized a panel that followed with thought leaders discussing the topic of AI and the public sector. We are grateful to have attended this inspiring event, and extend special thanks to everyone who put together this summit. --- ## More from this issue [### Spring 2026, Volume 40 Number 2 ](/publications/centerpiece/spring2026) ![Half of graphic is a photo of the sphinx at Giza and the other half is a large duotone blue W with the words "Centerpiece" overlaid in white.](/sites/g/files/omnuum8891/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2026-05/Cover-Social-16x9.png?itok=yIQDs2tG) [### Message from the Executive Director ](/publications/centerpiece/spring2026/executive-director) ![Headshot of Erin Goodman alongside her name and title, set against a gray background.](/sites/g/files/omnuum8891/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2026-05/ED%20MESSAGE_0.png?itok=zl7q3V2t) [### Of Note ](/publications/centerpiece/spring2026/of_note) ![Outside view of Knafel yard and buildings.](/sites/g/files/omnuum8891/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2026-05/OF%20NOTE.png?itok=eUHHelYe) [### New Books ](/publications/centerpiece/spring2026/newbooks) ![Collage of a dozen or so book covers, all in different sizes, against a gray background.](/sites/g/files/omnuum8891/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2026-05/NEW%20BOOKS.png?itok=zgJxB3-A) [### In Conversation with Erez Manela and Kendall Carll ](/publications/centerpiece/spring2026/feature_interview) ![Student Kendall Carll and Professor Erez Manela sit, in conversation, on a green sofa with a plant in the background.](/sites/g/files/omnuum8891/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2026-05/INTERVIEW%20W%20EREZ.png?itok=Epj4qu_6) [### The Mechanics of Public Man-Made Death: USAID’s Destruction At One Year ](/publications/centerpiece/spring2026/feature_jodidi) ![Atul Gawande, gesturing with his hands, speaks in conversation with Erez Manela in a wood paneled room.](/sites/g/files/omnuum8891/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2026-05/JODIDI%20EXCERPTS.png?itok=zX9l5uDS) [### Student Programs ](/publications/centerpiece/spring2026/prog_student) ![A group of 19 people pose and smile for a photo in an office setting, standing in front of sofas and framed artwork on the wall.](/sites/g/files/omnuum8891/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2026-05/AtTheCenter-Students-GSA%20Group.jpg?itok=gU3G9jzC) [### Weatherhead Research Cluster on Global History ](/publications/centerpiece/spring2026/prog_wigh) ![Two-image collage of book cover and a photo of a man in a suit signing a book at a table while another man holding a wine glass stands nearby and people converse in the background at an indoor event.](/sites/g/files/omnuum8891/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2026-05/SVEN%20BOOK%20TALKS.png?itok=6QILdVlJ) [### Weatherhead Scholars Program ](/publications/centerpiece/spring2026/prog_wsp) ![Four people stand side by side, smiling, in front of a wall with the Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics logo.](/sites/g/files/omnuum8891/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2026-05/WSP%20AND%20GAP.png?itok=R71eSEiH) [### New Faculty Associates ](/publications/centerpiece/spring2026/new_faculty) ![Collage of twelve professional headshots in circular frames alongside a list of their names.](/sites/g/files/omnuum8891/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2026-05/FACULTY%20ASSOCIATES_0.png?itok=MQ93qC92) [### Spring 2026 Photo Gallery ](/publications/centerpiece/spring2026/photo_gallery) ![Five professionals stand next to each other, each holding their own book and smiling.](/sites/g/files/omnuum8891/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2026-05/EVENTS.png?itok=rOADf5IT) [### In Memoriam ](/publications/centerpiece/spring2026/in_memoriam) ![Graphic shows the names Michael McElroy (1939-2026) and Pierre Keller (1927-2026) against a duotone blue background.](/sites/g/files/omnuum8891/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2026-05/IN%20MEMORIAM.png?itok=A9bpn5dU) See also:- [ Centerpiece: Spring 2026 ](/newsletter-issues/centerpiece-spring-2026)