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Dar al-Kalima University launched this morning a Southwest Asian and North African (SWANA) round table with The Christian Academic Forum for Citizenship in the Arab World (CAFCAW), entitled “Religion, Culture, Higher Education, and Digital Transformation in Southwestern Asia and North Africa: Challenges and Opportunities.” The round table is in Larnaca-Cyprus on June 9 and 10, 2023. It follows the 24th International Conference on Digital Transformation and Culture in June 2022. 

Digital transformation fundamentally changes how we live, work, and communicate; the Southwestern Asian and North African region (SWANA) is no exception. The round table aims to delve into the opportunities and challenges of digital transformation within religion, culture, and higher education. This exciting event brings together 36 experts, academics, and practitioners from various fields, including visual and performing arts, cultural studies, social and political sciences, education, theology, computer science, and artificial intelligence. Attendees include individuals from the region and diaspora communities, providing a unique cross-cultural exchange and collaboration opportunity. Through this dynamic forum, participants will explore innovative solutions to the challenges posed by digital transformation and share insights on how this rapidly evolving landscape can be leveraged to foster positive change in SWANA and beyond.

According to Dar al-Kalima University’s Founder and President, Rev. Prof. Mitri Raheb: “The Digital revolution that we are experiencing will bring endless opportunities but also immense challenges. It will revolutionize our work, study, and how we relate to ourselves and others. We are still at the threshold of this revolution; there is no way we can imagine all the changes stored for us down the road. Yet, in its round table, Dar al-Kalima University is eager to invite a group of experts in this field from the region to explore the horizon of this important issue in a timely and scholarly manner”.

According to Program Manager Dr. Pamela Chrabieh: “During the round table, participants will discuss a wide range of topics related to digital transformation in SWANA, including its current uses in religious engagement and practice, moral and ethical implications, and the future of digital transformation in religion and culture. They will also explore best practices for using digital technologies in the arts, cultural institutions, and higher education sectors and the challenges and opportunities of integrating AI, cybersecurity, and government policies”.
As attendees gather to share their expertise and insights, they will undoubtedly generate innovative solutions to the complex issues posed by a rapidly evolving landscape. Through cross-cultural exchange and collaboration, this dynamic forum will contribute to positive change in SWANA and beyond.