Turkey is a middle power located in the Middle East - indeed, a land in the middle between Europe and Asia. Turkey has always been a challenging ally of the United States, but the country played an essential part in the days of the Cold War countering Soviet influence. Now Turkey is invested in and […]
Join cookbook author Sandra Garson at Scarborough Public Library for a talk on the food of the Middle East, followed by a catered lunch. Space is limited; registration is required. Garson, a former caterer and food entrepreneur, has published numerous articles and two cookbooks. After closing her Maine bakery and catering business, she helped establish […]
This talk explores how Erdoğan’s increasing reliance on populist discourse and style throughout his tenure contributed to the rise of an authoritarian regime sustained by popular support. It highlights how the performative and emotional dimensions of these strategies can help autocratic leaders garner support and reinforce their perceived authenticity, particularly when their legitimacy is under […]
The Middle East is a generally arid region with few rivers. But as a result, the rivers that do flow there have an outsized importance, both physically and historically. In fact, some of these resources are listed among the great rivers of the world. This talk will focus on a few of these rivers and […]
Coexistence, My Ass!, an award-winning documentary film based on the provocative one-woman show of Israeli peace activist and comedian Noam Shuster Eliassi, will be screened at the Strand Theatre in Rockland on Sunday, January 18 at 2:00 p.m. The film, co-presented by Points North and the Camden Conference, follows Shuster Eliassi as she challenges audiences […]
For Jews, it's the Promised Land of Zion. For Christians, it's the Holy Land of Jesus. For Muslims, it's the land of the prophets preceding Muhammad and the home of Al-Aqsa Mosque. In this talk, Dr. Derek A. Michaud (University of Maine) will guide us through the rich history, ideology, and theology that fuel these […]
Auburn Public Library invites you to a film screening and discussion of Erdogan: The Making of a Sultan. "In this acclaimed new documentary, Emmy and BAFTA award-winning director, Gilles Cayatte, and expert on Turkish affairs Guillaume Perrier, profile President Erdogan. He rose to power as the anti-corruption candidate, challenging the old order and advocating closer […]
Retired US Senior Foreign Service Officer Norm Olsen will speak about his personal experiences in his 34-year service in the Middle East. Cape Elizabeth native Norm Olsen served 26 years in the U.S. Foreign Service, including nine years in Israel and the Gaza Strip. He reported from Gaza during the First and Second Intifadas and […]
Portland Public Library is proud to host Afarin Bellisario for an author talk wherein she will be discussing her debut novel, Silenced Whispers. Silenced Whispers is a historical fiction that highlights the internal and external pressures on young woman in Iran in the face of patriarchy and colonialism at the turn of the 20th century. […]
As part of the Camden Conference Series of Community Events, the Blue Hill Library is sponsoring a talk with University of Maine Senior Lecturer Derek Michaud on Thursday, January 29 at 7PM in the Howard Room for his talk 'Perspectives on the Land: Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Understandings'. Derek Michaud is Senior Lecturer and Chair […]
For January Readers’ Circle will discuss the book Enter Ghost by Isabella Hammad. The book follows Sonia Nasir, a British-Palestinian actress who returns to Palestine after a personal crisis in London. Reconnecting with her roots and her estranged sister in Haifa, Sonia becomes involved in a politically charged Arabic-language production of Hamlet in the West […]
Join Aurora Cobb, of the Patten Free Library in Bath, for a discussion of journalist Suzy Hansen’s Notes on a Foreign Country: An American Abroad in a Post-American World, a selection from the 2026 Camden Conference reading list.