TNWAC Participates in MTSU International Awareness Program
Tennessee World Affairs Council President Patrick Ryan is featured as the keynote speaker in a program at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro on April 8th. Details are provided in a posting to the MTSU web site:
MTSU’s new Saudi Students Association will serve as host for a special campus event, “Building Bridges,” on Friday, April 8, to encourage cultural awareness.
The free public gathering, set from 12:30 to 4 p.m. in the Tennessee Room of the James Union Building, features a keynote address from Patrick Ryan, president of the Tennessee World Affairs Council and past president of the Cookeville Breakfast Rotary Club, on Saudi Arabia’s history and the Saudi-U.S. relationship.
Also included on the agenda are a photography gallery; discussions on Saudi women, the nation’s tourism, economy and foreign investments; entertainment and traditional dancing; and an exhibit and demonstration of the art of henna painting.
“The purpose of this club is to organize, promote and support activities that allow an exchange of cultural, social and sports activities between all its members, the campus and city communities,” said Abdullah Alkobraish, an MTSU graduate student currently working toward his master’s degree in business administration and a native of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, who is co-founder and president of the new organization.
MTSU Saudi Students Association President Abdullah Alkobraish
“The Saudi Students Association wants to help orient the new Saudi students at Middle Tennessee State University and at the English Language School to American culture. In addition, we will serve the Murfreesboro community. We also would like to open our doors for communication and dialogue in order to have a better understanding of each other. We hope our friends here in town will help us to build the bridges and find solid ground for a peaceful world.”
The group is encouraging MTSU faculty and staff members to attend the event and to bring their students to learn more about Saudi Arabia, Alkobraish said.
For more information about the event, contact Alkobraish at [email protected].
MTSU’s new Saudi Students Association will serve as host for a special campus event, “Building Bridges,” on Friday, April 8, to encourage cultural awareness.
