Postponement GSS 2026

Dear Workshop Presenters,

I hope this message finds you well.

Due to the ongoing conflict in the Gulf region and the uncertainty it has created for travel, safety, and planning, we have made the difficult decision to postpone the Third Gulf Studies Symposium. This decision was not taken lightly, but given the current circumstances, we believe it is the most responsible course of action.

Importantly, this is a postponement, not a cancellation. We remain fully committed to holding the symposium and to bringing together this remarkable community of scholars once conditions allow. Over the past months, you have dedicated significant time and effort to developing your research, selecting topics, and preparing your contributions. All accepted papers will remain part of the program and will carry over to the rescheduled symposium. We deeply appreciate the intellectual commitment that each of you has invested in this program, and we are very much looking forward to your presentations and the rich discussions that will follow.

In the meantime, we will continue to monitor the situation closely as we work toward identifying a new date, potentially in the fall semester, subject to regional conditions and venue availability. We hope to confirm the new dates once conditions stabilize and allow us to determine the most appropriate timing.

With more than 360 participants from over 50 countries, ensuring the safety of our presenters and minimizing potential logistical challenges were central considerations in reaching this decision. We believe that postponing the symposium will allow us to convene the meeting under conditions that ensure the productive and collegial exchange that has become the hallmark of the Gulf Studies Symposium.

We will remain in close communication with you and will share updates as soon as the situation stabilizes and we are able to confirm the new dates and venue.

Should you have any questions about the program, please feel free to contact us at gss@gulfif.org.

We hope and pray for peace and for a swift end to the current escalation in the Gulf.

Thank you for your understanding and for your continued engagement with the Gulf Studies Symposium.