The American Middle East Institute Dinner

Veteran journalist Dan Rather was the featured speaker during The American Middle East Institute’s dinner and lecture at the Carnegie Music Hall and Foyer in Oakland on Tuesday night. The evening wrapped up the AMEI’s ninth annual conference, “New Frontiers of Health,” which featured leading speakers from the Middle East and the United States. A VIP reception which included photo opps with Mr. Rather gave many of the dignitaries and patrons a chance to meet the former CBS evening news anchor and get a picture before dinner. AMEI CEO Simin Curtis thanked the sponsors and supporters, as well as the esteemed guests who participated in the conference.

“You may not realize what a real treasure you have in Pittsburgh with the AMEI,” said Mr. Rather, once everyone was seated for dinner. “It’s an important mission to make people-to-people contact and to further business, education and cultural exchanges,” he added. As for the upcoming election he said, “This one has some unprecedented, never-before qualities to it.

“Each candidate has negatives above 50 percent,” he continued. He also noted there has never been a candidate like Donald Trump with no public service record.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette executive editor David Shribman conducted an on-stage interview with Mr. Rather. It was followed by questions from the audience.

Among the guests who participated in the conference and came to the lecture were Egypt’s deputy minister of health and population, Dr. Maissa Mohamed Shawky, executive director of Middle East and Africa Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America Samir Khalil, UPMC’s Harun Rashid, Dr. Freddie and Hilda Fu, former health minister of Egypt Dr. Ismail Sallam, Cleveland Clinic’s Dr. Nizar Zein, and from New York University School of Medicine Dr. Masood Khatamee.

— Patricia Sheridan