Before we adjourn, if you would all stay seated for a moment, some thanks are in order:

First, to you, our participants, not just for attending with such courtesy, but more importantly for participating with penetrating questions to our speakers.

We thank each and every speaker and moderator, for each and every viewpoint. MEI continues to stand by its 57-year mission of disseminating non-partisan information, and we only wish we had more time for more experts with more viewpoints. Special thanks here to Ambassador Wilcox for his moderation: were all American moderators and negotiators as fair as he, many problems in which America has involved itself over the years would have been solved, years ago. Please extend a hand for all speakers and moderators.

The National Press Club has hosted us with true Middle East hospitality and constant professionalism and support, for which we thank them.

Thanks again to our generous sponsors, too numerous to enumerate here again but emblazoned in our conference booklet and represented last night at our annual banquet.

Thanks also to the following interns and volunteers, unpaid and eager, many of whom we look to see participating in and speaking at future annual conferences. They worked hard before and during the conference, and their bright and eager faces were perhaps the most hopeful aspect of a conference otherwise full of gloomy predictions:

Shabnam Azari
Nicole Petsel
Fatima Al-Qu`aiti
Hesham Sallam
Anahita Sami
CJ Stimson
Beesyna Majid
Donny Courtney
Betsy Mesard
Edan Raviv
Christel Poelman
Sarah Trent
Barbara Wolf
Diana Ponraja
Arshi Hashmi
Andrew Clark
Arif Ahmed
Fatiha Belfakhir
Shirin Meskin
Mallika Good
Lily Pirouzian

-- please, let us extend a hand of thanks to all.

Last but not least, my deepest thanks to colleagues of the Middle East Institute. They are few, a happy few, warriors of the working day, and I am proud to count myself among the company of the following people who give unstintingly of their talent and time. The success of our two-day conference should make them all proud – and you, our participants, should know that each of us, even in the Programs department, have had enormous, ongoing responsibilities outside this annual conference. Thanks then to:

Anne-Marie Daris for the annual banquet
Ruth Van Laningham for the book sale from the Library
Amged Soliman for the table of the The Middle East Journal
Julia Voelker for maintaining order among interns at all times
Peter Hollin for technical support, from website to digital photos to audio
Justine Ruggio for unflagging Media coordination
Thom Peck for heavy lifting and general life saving
Lisa Barr for a seasoned hand at registration
Alix Kauffman for long, unsung hours in MEI’s back office, making sure we’re all paid and have a roof over our heads
John Calabrese for speaker help and interns
Jennifer Mitchell for transcription
Alison Lawlor for her work in the Programs department

And very special thanks to Ethan Arnheim, without whose    diligence this conference may not have happened at all.

-- please, let us extend a hand of thanks to all.

In parting, I would make a final conclusion about this conference. I have been a member of the Middle East Institute since undergraduate days some 19 years ago, which means I have enough miles under my hood these days to start pontificating like any other Washington talking head. Besides, as a management consultant by profession, I have gotten into the habit of giving advice to corporate executives, government officials, and even royalty in the Middle East, Europe, and America. While I recognize and appreciate the leadership of our president, Ned Walker, I say to you, the executives and board members of the Middle East Institute: don’t forget to look within while expanding MEI’s horizon. Recognize our own group’s talent. In all my years of association at MEI, I have never seen so many talented staff members. Moreover, in my business career, I have not worked with so many talented staff. The name of MEI is not enough alone, and these people are stakeholders in the Middle East Institute. Treasure them, esteem them, and make sure you keep them with MEI a long, long time.

Thank you all again. This conference is now adjourned.