As someone who has reported from the frontlines of every major conflict in the region, Janine di Giovanni offers a firsthand narrative that challenges Western assumptions about the Middle East. This talk explores how the lived realities of war—among civilians, fighters, and policymakers—reveal a far more nuanced and human region than the one seen in the news cycle. It’s a journey through memory, myth, and media, aimed at reframing how we think about power, people, and peace.
Audience Appeal: Global affairs audiences, diplomats, journalists, policymakers, businessmen
Tone: Honest, powerful, perspective-shifting
Having covered the region’s wars for years, Janine di Giovanni now asks: what comes next? This talk bridges frontline experience with regional trends—political reform, generational change, and post- war rebuilding—to paint a forward-looking picture. Listeners will gain an insider’s take on how power dynamics are shifting from militias to ministries, from oil to AI, and from trauma to transition.
Audience Appeal: Business leaders, investors, think tanks, development agencies
Tone: Strategic, analytical, cautiously optimistic
This is not a talk about geopolitics—it’s about people. Through a series of compelling vignettes from Iraq, Syria, Gaza, Yemen, and beyond, Janine di Giovanni share the stories of those who lived through war with courage, defiance, and dignity. It’s a raw, emotional, and ultimately hopeful account that reminds us why the Middle East matters—not as a problem to solve, but as a region full of humanity, history, and future potential.
Audience Appeal: Cultural festivals, public forums, storytelling events, academic institutions
Tone: Emotional, inspiring, deeply human
What Next for the Middle East? Syria after Assad
Gaza/Palestine - The Forever War?
How to Catch a War Criminal - international justice at work in Ukraine, Syria and beyond
Europe on the Edge- the rise of authoritarian regimes and how to bolster democracy
The Reckoning Project: how can journalists and lawyers work together to fight against impunity?
The Middle East in 2040: Youth, Innovation, and the Race for Relevance
Why it works: Focuses on the region’s demographic youth bulge, innovation hubs like Dubai and Riyadh, and the opportunity to shift global narratives beyond conflict.
Hook: What happens when the world’s youngest region becomes its most inventive?
Bridging Worlds: How Middle Eastern Cultural Diplomacy is Redefining Global Soft Power
Why it works: Showcases art, cinema, sports (like Qatar’s World Cup), and heritage restoration efforts as tools of influence. Hook: Soft power isn't just for the West—here’s how the Middle East is rewriting the rules.
From Oil to AI: The Economic Future of the Middle East in a Post-Hydrocarbon World
Why it works: Tackles the ambitious economic diversification underway, from NEOM to UAE's AI investments.
Hook: The next frontier for artificial intelligence isn’t Silicon Valley—it’s the desert.
Conflict, Resilience, and Renaissance: Stories of Reinvention from the Middle East
Why it works: Balances hard issues (Syria, Iraq, Yemen) with human resilience and reconstruction—ideal for emotional engagement. Hook:In the rubble of conflict, new narratives are rising—stories of hope, healing, and human potential.
Women of the Middle East: Leading the Region’s Quiet Revolution&
Why it works: Focuses on gender, leadership, and social reform, especially in Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Palestine.
Hook: They’re not waiting for change—they’re leading it. Meet the women transforming the Middle East.
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