What is the Middle East Immersion?
The Middle East Immersion (MEI) is a six-week intensive practicum designed for students from beyond the region wanting to experience firsthand the opportunities and challenges of Christian service in the Middle East. Under the mentorship of respected scholars and experienced practitioners, students in the MEI program practice intercultural work in a dynamic context and engage in mutual learning between Christian and Muslim communities.
Centered on critically reflective practice, MEI provides students an opportunity to earn academic credit and fulfill practicum requirements while being exposed to the language, peoples and cultures of one of the region’s most vibrant cities.
MEI 2017 begins 19 June in Beirut, Lebanon, and runs through July.
What will students be doing in Lebanon?
As part of their immersive experience, students:
Academics
Students can earn academic credit for their participation in the following courses:
Why Lebanon?
Located on the eastern shores of the Mediterranean, Lebanon is rich in history, archaeology, culture and religion. Exemplifying an ‘east meets west’ ethos, Lebanon has long been regarded as the gateway to the Middle East. It could be said that the capital city of Beirut embodies the beauty and pain of diversity, playing host to a dizzying array of religious and social groups.
As the epicenter of the global refugee crisis, however, Lebanon has come under immense pressure in recent years with over a quarter of its population now Syrian, Iraqi or Palestinian refugees. Yet in spite of the trauma of civil war and the current refugee crisis, Lebanon remains a place of creative ideas and intrigue, an ideal location for those called to cross-cultural service, Christian-Muslim engagement, community development, or peacebuilding.
For additional information about IMES’ Middle East Immersion program, please follow the links above or feel free to contact IMES@abtslebanon.org.
1 Comment
Reblogged this on Persona and commented:
Many people talk these days about the Middle East, and the Christians living there, with absolutely no experience or real knowledge of the reality on the ground. Here is a solution for healing this dangerous ignorance.