Brookings Project on U.S. Relations with the Islamic World, in partnership with the State of Qatar, convened its annual U.S.-Islamic World Forum from June 9-11, 2013 in Doha, Qatar. The Forum was entitled “A Decade of Dialogue,” heralding the ten-year anniversary of the Forum. The Forum has become the premier platform for engagement by American leaders from government, business, and civil society with their counterparts from Muslim-majority countries around the world.
This year’s sessions highlighted the changing landscape in Pakistan and Afghanistan and its effect on internal and regional security. The event featured discussions on the challenges of democracy and development that have loomed in the aftermath of the Arab Spring. The Forum also featured a discussion on the conflict in Syria, noting the spiraling effects of the conflict on the Middle East region and the roles played by the United States and other outside actors.
As in previous years, the Forum convened working groups focused on specific thematic issues. The 2013 working groups focus on advancing women’s political participation within an Islamic framework, supporting economic assistance and recovery in Egypt and Tunisia; examining the role of faith based leaders in mediating conflict and fostering diplomacy; and defining and understanding freedom of speech among global Muslim communities.