Fourth Annual Conference
Region Exposed
The Aftermath of the Iran War and the Saudi Question
Program
Agenda
Friday, October 2, 2026 · Washington DC
9:00
Introduction
Opening the day
Mona Alanazi
People's Vision documentary9:10
9:15
Opening Remarks
Welcome address
Ghanem Aldossary
Panel 1
The postwar Gulf and its consequences for Saudi Arabia
9:30 to 11:009:30
Moderator
Nermeen Shaikh
9:45
Speaker
Abdullah Alaoudh
Diversifying security in the Gulf and arms sales
10:00
Speaker
Nader Hashemi
Democracy and geopolitics between Iran and Saudi Arabia
10:15
Speaker
Ryan Grim
Covering the war in the midst of deception and propaganda
10:30
Speaker
Omar Shakir
Civil society in the crossfire: protecting rights space during conflict
10:45
Speaker
Annelle Rodriguez Sheline
Security, reform, and the politics of stability in the Gulf
11:00
Discussion
Audience Q&A
A performance by Fuad Foty11:15
Lunch break and networking11:30 to 12:30
12:30
Keynote Speaker
Keynote address
Jamaal Bowman
Panel 2
Saudi Arabia: reform, human rights, and the people's vision
12:45 to 14:3012:45
Moderator
Nawaf Almarwaie
Political and economic reforms, human rights, and the people's vision
13:00
Speaker
Sarah Leah Whitson
Human rights, power, and accountability: between reform and repression
13:15
Speaker
Yahya Assiri
Voices under pressure: civil society and political space in the Gulf
13:30
Speaker
Maryam Aldossary
Digital voices and political expression: navigating reform and control
13:45
Speaker
Haydee Dijkstal
Avenues for legal accountability on human rights abuses in the kingdom
14:00
Speaker
Melissa Del Aguila
Human rights violations in Saudi Arabia: what the data shows
14:15
Discussion
Audience Q&A
A performance by Fuad Foty14:30
14:45
Closing Remarks
Closing the day
Ahmed Hakami
The possible in an age
of the impossible.
Arab Rights and Research Center · Washington DC
peoples-vision.com