Doha, Qatar
February 16-18

The theme of the 2008 U.S.-Islamic World Forum was “New Directions,” as that year presented, for both the United States and the Muslim world, an opportunity to chart a new path in their relationship. Opened by H.E. Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabr Al-Thani, Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the State of Qatar, the Forum featured keynote addresses by Afghan President Hamid Karzai, former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright, Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan, and U.N. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad. Plenary sessions focusing on various aspects of the future of U.S.-Muslim world relations included such luminaries as Admiral William J. Fallon, Chairperson of the African Union Commission Alpha Oumar Konare, Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erakat, Egyptian televangelist Amr Khaled, Muhammadiyah chairman M. Din Syamusuddin, Time columnist Joe Klein, former Palestinian Foreign Minister Ziad Abu Amr, Senator Evan Bayh (D-Indiana), former National Security Advisor Sandy Berger, former Assistant Secretary of State Susan Rice, Council on Foreign Relations President Richard Haass, and former Assistant Secretary of Defense Peter Rodman