The Middle East Institute is pleased to host poet, writer and activist Nimah Nawwab for a conversation about Saudi women in an era of unprecedented change in the Middle East. Despite the many advances of the Arab Spring, the region continues to face mounting social, political, and economic challenges. In Nawwab's native Saudi Arabia, these challenges form the basis for her art and activism. Through her poetry and writing, Nawwab aims to build bridges of understanding between the Middle East and the Western world, and to provide insight into the realities of life for women in Saudi Arabia. Join us for an interactive discussion of the status of women in the region and the route to their political, economic, religious, and spiritual empowerment.