2021 Middle East Futures Forum

The Middle East Futures Forum is a flagship event of MEI's Strategic Foresight Initiative


The inaugural conference, held in October 2021, featured four days of panels and interactive events led by today's leading thinkers on the forces that will shape the region over the next 5-10 years, including in the fields of economics and finance, energy, technology, and cybersecurity. We are proud to welcome Foreign Policy magazine as media partner for this conference.

2021 Conference Recap

All video recordings available below. Speaker biographies may be found here.


Day 1

The New Economics

A Conversation with Richard A. Clarke
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The Future of Finance and Money in MENA
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Economic Diversification and Workforce Transformation
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Day 2 

Powering the Future

The Future of Energy
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A Conversation with Deputy Special Envoy for Climate Jonathan Pershing
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Climate Adaptation and Resilience
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Day 3

Creating the Human Future

The Future of Cities
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Transforming MENA through Next Generation Foresight
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Fireside Chat on the Future of Philanthropy in the Middle East
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Day 4

The New World of Defense and Security

Technology Futures in MENA Defense and Security
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Next Horizons in Cybersecurity and Digital Threats in MENA
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We are proud to welcome Foreign Policy as media partner for the 2021 Middle East Futures Forum.