University of Haifa is leveraging the friendly diplomatic relations between Israel and Gulf States to cultivate academic ties with countries in the region. On the first academic visit to the Kingdom of Bahrain, Dr. Uriel Simonsohn (Department of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies) met with senior members of the administration at the King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Coexistence, to pave the way for the signing of an MOU between the two institutes. Dr. Simonsohn is head of the newly launched Haifa Laboratory for Religious Studies (HLRS), an academic initiative designed to foster dialogue between religious leaders and scholars in Israel and around the globe. The US Wayfarer Foundation is providing partial funding for HLRS’s activities. | MORE ON THIS STORY HERE