KUWAIT: The Harvard Club of Kuwait played a key role in the successful realization of the Harvard Alumni Summit Middle East & Africa (HAS MEA) 2026, which took place from January 16-18 at the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo. This summit, the first of its kind in the Middle East and Africa, brought together a diverse group of Harvard alumni, thought leaders, innovators and changemakers from across the region. It served as an important platform for meaningful dialogue, collaboration and the exchange of ideas that will help shape future developments within the region and beyond.
Nadia Al-Zeabot, President of the Harvard Club of Kuwait and Middle East Director at the Harvard Alumni Association (HAA) Board, played an integral role as a member of both the summit’s executive committee and the regional organizing team. Al-Zeabot’s involvement was instrumental in shaping the event’s framework, ensuring that it met the needs and expectations of alumni. This highlights the club’s commitment to enhancing Kuwait representation within the global Harvard alumni network.
The summit also featured notable Kuwaiti alumni speakers, including Dr Sulaiman Almazeedi, Firas Al-Oda, Esam Alkheshnam and Sara Akbar. Their participation, alongside a broader delegation of Kuwait alumni, underscored the importance of regional engagement and the club’s strong leadership presence in global conversations on a variety of critical issues.
Sara Akbar
Esam Alkheshnam
Firas Al-Oda
Dr Sulaiman Almazeedi
A landmark event
The Harvard Alumni Summit Middle East & Africa 2026 represented a milestone in regional alumni engagement. The event brought together 259 attendees from 36 countries and 47 nationalities, representing more than six Harvard schools, 14+ clubs and Shared Interest Groups (SIGs) and four research centers. The diverse representation at the summit emphasized the strength of the Harvard alumni network and its role in fostering connections across disciplines and geographies.
The summit covered a broad range of important topics, including innovation, public policy, health, education, digital economies and sustainable impact. Through keynote addresses, panel discussions and networking sessions, the summit facilitated a productive exchange of ideas and best practices aimed at addressing some of the most pressing challenges faced by countries in the Middle East and Africa. By bringing together global thought leaders and regional stakeholders, the Summit enabled participants to engage in meaningful dialogue on how to develop effective solutions to shared challenges.
Hosting HAS MEA 2026 in the region highlighted the importance of the Middle East and Africa as growing centers for global collaboration. The summit emphasized the potential for regional leadership to contribute meaningfully to global conversations, particularly in areas like sustainability, public policy and innovation.
The event also demonstrated how alumni-driven initiatives can provide valuable platforms for strengthening ties between local and global communities. It highlighted the region’s capacity to host major international events that foster collaboration and exchange, enhancing its role in shaping global discussions.
Building lasting connections
The summit fostered connections that will have a lasting impact on alumni engagement in the region. By strengthening networks, sharing expertise and promoting collaboration, HAS MEA 2026 reinforced the core values of the Harvard alumni community – lifelong learning, leadership and global citizenship.
As the event ended, participants left with a renewed sense of purpose and a commitment to continuing the work started at the summit. The discussions held and the connections made are undoubtedly expected to contribute to the further development of alumni-driven initiatives in the Middle East and Africa, helping to drive progress and positive change in the region.
The success of HAS MEA 2026 is a testament to the power of regional alumni engagement and its ability to address complex global challenges. The Harvard Club of Kuwait’s contribution to the summit reinforced its role as a key player in the broader Harvard alumni community, committed to fostering leadership, collaboration and meaningful dialogue on regional and global issues. The impact of HAS MEA 2026 will continue to resonate, serving as a model for future alumni-led initiatives in the region and beyond.
