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NIMEP
New Initiative for Middle East Peace
A project of the Tufts University Institute for Global Leadership (TIGL)
In Collaboration with
The University College of Citizenship and Public Service (UCCPS)

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A vision for the future

Mission: Make NIMEP a resource and model for progressive research, discussion, and engagement with the Middle East; create a vibrant educational environment, reflective of NIMEP’s diverse student constituency that is conducive to respectful intellectual exchange; Provide students with unique opportunities for rigorous, immersive, and experiential education.

The following are goals and activities which NIMEP should pursue as part of its regular expectations each year:

Intensive Study: Students will organize themselves in both mentored and independent, self-taught small research groups that will study contemporary relevant Middle East issues. NIMEP will also support, encourage, and develop projects that can lead to senior honor thesis or other capstone projects. Through collaboration with the Tufts Institute for Global Leadership, Faculty for Israeli-Palestinian Peace, University College of Citizenship and Public Service, and many other organizations and departments, NIMEP researchers will have access to prominent academics and policy-makers and research tools such as state-of-the-art GIS mapping technology. Our open collaborative approach to research will hopefully nurture unusual research teams, emphasizing cooperation and reconciliation instead of confrontation. We have already encouraged such a precedent with serious interaction between Israeli and Palestinian, Turkish and Armenian, and Iraqi and Iranian students.

The above research will contribute to the following:

Publication: NIMEP will annually publish a research journal, comprised primarily of its members’ research findings. It will be similar to the Tufts undergraduate Hemispheres journal and will also be open to publishing non-NIMEP members’ research. The journal will be available in its current and archived form on the NIMEP website. Beyond papers, the publication will feature the work of documentary photographers and artists. The publication will be assisted by a professional advisory board of mentors, practitioners, and scholars.

Symposium: NIMEP will also organize an annual symposium on the Middle East to showcase NIMEP’s research and bring scholars to campus. It will be modeled on the EPIIC and TIGL International Symposia, though on a smaller scale. An international symposium will resonate with NIMEP’s ideals of non-polemical discussion and progressive thinking, creating an environment conducive to the fusion of new ideas and approaches. The symposium will emphasize the work of young scholars in the Middle East and other universities in the United States. We will seek to develop a consortium of schools that can create and promote projects of this nature.

Special Events: NIMEP will organize special events on campus to try to further infuse knowledge and healthy dialogue into the community. These events are intended to spark discussion and inquiry, engaging more of the student body. We have already welcomed two leaders of the Neve Shalom coexistence community and plan to host a panel of experts discussing the role of natural resources in peace negotiations.

Community Outreach and Cultural Exchange: It is critical that NIMEP, through expanded collaboration with UCCPS and IGL, maintain its community outreach activities. This will involve maintenance and pursuit of longstanding projects, and the implementation of new initiatives. This includes encouraging programming that brings together diverse populations in the region in an environment that will help facilitate knowledge sharing and cultural exchange. While a required part of NIMEP membership, participation in the community outreach facet will be open to the Tufts community as a whole. As one such example in collaboration with the SOLIS program, we hope to include members of the Tufts community, and in the future, high school students, in an on-line, web-camera technology colloquium with students from the Middle East.

Delegations and International Research: Contingent on financial resources, NIMEP will encourage and sponsor trips for delegations and individual research. Current plans include missions to Egypt, Iran, and Israel/West Bank. NIMEP will attend conferences, symposia, and meetings on relevant issues. Opportunities for international research will also be encouraged. NIMEP will seek to provide funding, logistical assistance, and advice.

Internships: NIMEP members will be encouraged and supported in finding internship opportunities in the United States and in the Middle East with groups committed to bringing about a peaceful reality. Potential opportunities include Shatil, Neve Shalom, B’Tzelem, Seeds of Peace, Law in the Service of Humanity, and the University of the Middle East.

Recruitment: NIMEP will reach out to incoming students from the Middle East and around the world, seeking out future leaders and motivated thinkers.

Alumni Network: NIMEP will maintain regular contact with its alums. This is one of its greatest potentials, connecting young, progressive, and motivated leaders from around the world.