It looks like I’m going to be taking my first trip to the Middle East next year. In early March, I’ll be traveling to Dubai to speak at the 7th Woibex Women in Business Conference.
I’ve waited to say anything about this until I was relatively sure it was going to happen; now that they’ve put my photo and bio up on the site, however, I think it’s safe.
The conference is being held at the spectacular Burj Al Arab hotel—I haven’t gotten details yet, but I’m hoping that’s where they’ll be putting me up while I’m there.
When I was first contacted by the organizers, I was a little concerned about traveling to the Middle East, but from what I’ve read since then about Dubai, it’s a remarkably progressive and technologically forward-looking country. Wired Magazine did a feature article on Dubai in July, and it really piqued my interest in the country—not just in its commitment to technology and business development, but also in the status of women there:
Dubai also stands in contrast to the Saudi kingdom in another Arab-world indicator, the role of women. Where Saudi women are still waiting for the right to drive, Dubai women play a pivotal role in society. “My success means success for other women here,” says Sheikha Lubna al Qasimi, the CEO of Tejari, an Internet business-to-business procurement firm, noting that women form 65 percent of Internet City’s workforce.
The fact that they’re running a conference on women in business is a pretty strong indication of the importance and value of women in their culture and economy, and I’m looking forward to having an opportunity to talk with from the area about their experiences and their uses of technology.
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congrats Liz!!! We'll be anxious to hear all about it. :-)
Congrats Liz, Glad to hear about it.
But, Rochestor Insitute of Technology UK ?
<sigh> Yeah, I saw that. And Alabama is spelled wrong. I've got to send them email tonight or tomorrow about the presentation, so I'll ask them to correct it. (I hope they don't really think I'm in the UK!!)
Good luck and enjoy. In many respects Dubai is what a pluralistic modern Middle Eastern could look like should it chose a more rational path.
I was in and out of Dubai a bunch in 1997. It's really a very sophisticated banking center. If you get a chance, bring money and go shopping. We took a bus to a mall in Sharja that was great. Very nice people and very welcoming.
Better not be your last trip to the Middle East!
I was going to push you to visit on your way home, but I'd be a little worried about the trouble that security might give you at the airport if you were straight about what country you were coming from.
If you were seriously interested, though, I could get you some academic invitations to speak here...
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