Our Mission & Vision

The MENA Center for Peace and Development seeks to inspire critical thinkers to be change agents in society with a view towards peace building, furthering sustainable development goals and respect for human rights, equality, and justice. The promotion of peace and development is the guiding principle and imperative. The MENA Center aims to provide new perspectives on peace and development in the MENA region, which is comprised of 19 countries, extending from the Atlantic Ocean to the Persian Gulf. 

Our core values are to promote respect for international law, constructive dialogue, the peaceful coexistence and appreciation of different cultures, human rights, and academic freedom. Upholding these values and principles underpins the activities hosted by the MENA Center as an unbiased facilitator for peace and development processes. We welcome partnerships and contributions from organizations and individuals aligned with our MENA Center’s vision and purpose.

The MENA Center aims to: 

• Foster partnerships that facilitate dialogue among academics, activists, and students 
• Serve as an academic research center in Switzerland for MENA regional studies 
• Promote the unity of research and teaching by highlighting the profound synergies between those two main pillars of academia and – as a consequence – to stimulate degree development 
• Offer a platform for engaging with both historical and contemporary cultures of the MENA region 
• Establish an academic exchange for students from the MENA region and beyond to study at Webster University in collaboration with other universities