Harvard alumni gather at Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo

The Harvard Alumni Summit for Middle East & Africa 2026 was hosted at the recently inaugurated Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo on Jan. 16–18. It brought together Harvard alumni, regional leaders, business executives, innovators, and change makers from across the Middle East, Africa, and the rest of the world. The summit celebrated innovation, collaboration, and sustainable impact by connecting ideas across regions to shape the future of health, education, and the digital economy. Twelve Harvard clubs from the Middle East and Africa co-sponsored the summit.

Preceding the summit, on Jan. 15, the Weatherhead Center hosted a dinner that brought together club leaders from Egypt, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, and Turkey. The private dinner featured a discussion with special guest H.E. Ambassador Tamim Khallaf, spokesperson for the Egyptian foreign ministry and former Weatherhead fellow (2008–2009). 

On Jan. 16, following Vice Provost Mark Elliott’s address to the more than 200 alums in attendance, Director Melani Cammett discussed the activities and goals of the Weatherhead Center in a panel moderated by Executive Director Erin Goodman. Other Harvard centers represented on the panel included the Center for Middle Eastern Studies, the Center for African Studies, and the Center for International Development. 

On Jan. 17, Melani Cammett presented a keynote address titled “Power, Policy & AI” with a focus on the Middle East. Her remarks contextualized a panel that followed with thought leaders discussing the topic of AI and the public sector at the first Harvard Alumni Summit for Middle East and Africa.