The Doha Debates

Qatar has the reputation of being the home of free speech in the Middle East. Not only is it home to Al-Jazeera, but it also plays host to The Doha Debates which are held monthly at the Qatar Foundation. From the website:

The Doha Debates are a public forum for dialogue and freedom of speech in Qatar. Each month invited speakers debate the burning issues of the Arab and Islamic world in front of an audience who are encouraged to participate by asking questions. The Debates are chaired by the internationally renowned broadcaster Tim Sebastian, formerly of the BBC's HARDTalk programme.

The Debates are usually lively and controversial - if you're interested in Arab politics, make sure you book a seat for the next debate (November 15th, 2005). The motion is 'This House believes that oil has been more of a curse than a blessing for the Middle East.'

As you can see from this list of debates held, The Doha Debates don't shy away from tackling the tough issues facing the region (transcripts and speaker bios can be found here).

• September 28th, 2005 - 'This House believes that Arab governments have failed the Palestinians.' The motion was passed
• June 1st, 2005 - 'This House believes that Arab women should have full equality with men.' The motion was passed
• April 28th, 2005 - 'This House believes that the war on terror has become a war on Islam'. The motion was rejected
• March 30th, 2005 - 'This House believes that George Bush has kicked open the door to democracy in the Middle East'. The motion was rejected
• February 23rd, 2005 - 'This House believes that the Middle East Road Map for peace is dead'. The motion was rejected
• January 17th, 2005 - 'This House believes that Iraq's neighbours have no wish to see a democratic Iraq'. The motion was rejected
• November 30th, 2004 - 'This House believes in the separation of mosque and state'. The motion was passed
• October 13th, 2004 - 'This House believes that Arab Governments are not interested in genuine reform'. The motion was passed.