Ambassador Mohammed Alhussaini Al Sharif to Speak at UH May 5

Chief Representative of the League of Arab States, UH Alum to Discuss Arab Peace Initiative

AlShariffUniversity of Houston (UH) alumnus and League of Arab States chief representative Ambassador Mohammed Alhussaini Al Sharif will discuss “The Arab Peace Initiative: Combating Terrorism” at 5 p.m. Tuesday, May 5 at UH. The lecture is free and open to the public.

"We are honored to host Ambassador Alhussaini Al Sharif and provide this educational opportunity for students to hear firsthand from a career Saudi diplomat and UH alum on navigating Arab-U.S. relations,” said UH Honors College Dean William Monroe. “As the University builds its global reach, it is important that we develop relationships with government representatives of nations throughout the world.”

Ambassador Alhussaini Al Sharif has been a Saudi diplomat for more than 35 years. Before assuming his current post as chief representative of the League of Arab States to the U.S., he served as ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Canada and Turkey and headed the Saudi Arabian Consulate in Houston. His career includes posts in countries such as Venezuela and the Philippines, where there is a substantial Muslim minority. He obtained his B.A. from American University in Beirut and Ph.D. in political science with a concentration in international relations from the University of Houston.

“The ‘Middle East’ is of vital strategic importance to the U.S.,” said Emran El-Badawi, director of the Arab Studies Program and assistant professor of Arabic language and literature at UH. “The ambassador’s talk is a wonderful opportunity to enhance our understanding and go beyond the headlines.”

The event is sponsored by the Honors College and Bilateral US-Arab Chamber of Commerce.

WHAT:                
Ambassador Mohammed Alhussaini Al Sharif, Chief Representative of the League of Arab States
“The Arab Peace Initiative: Combating Terrorism,” followed by a Q&A session                                              

WHEN:                
5 p.m., Tuesday, May 5                               
For more information, contact Keri Myrick at kdmyrick@uh.edu or 713-743-1012

WHERE:             
University of Houston, Honors College Commons in the M.D. Anderson Library, 2nd Floor
http://www.uh.edu/maps/buildings/?short_name=LEntrance 1 off Calhoun road. Parking is available in the UH Welcome Center Garage.
http://www.uh.edu/maps/buildings/?short_name=WC

WHO:                   
Free and open to the public.

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About the University of Houston
The University of Houston is a Carnegie-designated Tier One public research university recognized by The Princeton Review as one of the nation's best colleges for undergraduate education. UH serves the globally competitive Houston and Gulf Coast Region by providing world-class faculty, experiential learning and strategic industry partnerships. Located in the nation's fourth-largest city, UH serves more than 40,900 students in the most ethnically and culturally diverse region in the country.