Doha Debates accept invitation from Georgetown University

Accepting the invitation, Doha Debates' Chairman Tim Sebastian commented, "After the latest violence between Palestinians and
Israelis, it's important to debate how the US will apply its considerable pressure in the region. Will the new president realign
American priorities or will it be business as usual?"

Jim Reardon-Anderson, Dean of Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service in Qatar, welcomed the Debates to the US and said they could offer fresh insights to the audience in Washington. "The School of Foreign Service in Qatar is delighted to bring the Doha Debates to the Georgetown University Main Campus. Although students in Washington are hardly strangers to debate on the burning issue of the day, we think they will find the perspective offered by the Doha Debates an enriching experience."

The Doha Debates have established a reputation as the premier forum for discussing the hottest, political issues in the Arab and Islamic worlds. They are the top-rated weekend programme on BBC World News, broadcasting to viewers in more than 200 countries.

It is the third time that the Doha Debates have been hosted abroad. Previous sessions were staged at the Oxford and Cambridge Unions in 2007.

A small group of students, based in Qatar, will attend next month's debate in Washington and visit a number of educational and political institutions.