World Trade Center, Washington DC (WTC DC): The National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations’ 23rd Annual Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference, chaired by its Founding President and CEO Dr. John Duke Anthony, was held October 28-29, 2014, at the World Trade Center, Washington, DC (Ronald Regan Building and International Trade Center). For the fourth consecutive year the conference registered more than 1,200 attendees. The theme of the 2014 conference was “Framing and Charting the Region’s Issues, Interests, Challenges, and Opportunities: Implications for Arab and U.S. Policies,” and it featured more than fifty speakers who analyzed, discussed, and debated issues of over-arching importance to the American and Arab people’s needs, concerns, interests, and key foreign policy objectives.

Speakers included current and former ambassadors from the United States and various Arab countries, key U.S. government officials, and scholars and representatives of non-governmental organizations and public policy research institutes. Over two days conference sessions explored various dynamics of the United States relationship with the Arab world, including energy and defense cooperation, business relations, and geo-political implications of developments in Syria, Iraq, Iran, the Arabian Gulf, Egypt and North Africa, and Palestine.

His Royal Highness Prince Turki Al Faisal delivered a keynote address on the first day of the conference that surveyed the challenges facing the Arab world, reflected on critical missed strategic opportunities, and affirmed Saudi Arabia’s commitment to fighting terrorism. The second day of the conference featured keynote addresses from Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to the United States, His Excellency Adel A. Al-Jubeir, and the United States Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Joseph W. Westphal, who both examined the strength, length, and depth of Saudi Arabian-United States relationship.

The National Council also bestowed awards on two prominent leaders: a “Distinguished Global Leadership Award” was presented to His Excellency Abdullah Bin Hamad Al Attiyah in recognition of his long and illustrious service to the State of Qatar as well as his contributions to humanity, and a “Global Humanitarian and Business Achievement Award” was presented to Dr. Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor (accepted on his behalf by former Congressman Paul Findley) for his leadership in education, philanthropy, and building bridges between East and West.

The 23rd Annual Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference was a resounding success, providing the American and Arab public -- whether in attendance, following the proceedings online, or reading about the conference through media coverage -- with a wide-ranging look at Arab-U.S. relations.

For more information, please contact the World Trade Center, Washington DC at 202.312.1655