Over 2500 researchers and experts on the Middle East, coming from a large number of universities, research centers and other organizations from all over the world, gather in Barcelona in July at the World Congress for Middle Eastern Studies (WOCMES). The European Institute of the Mediterranean (IEMed), the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) and the Government of Catalonia are organising the Congress after the two successful previous editions held in Mainz - Germany in 2002 and in Amman - Jordan in 2006.

WOCMES seeks to address, explore and exchange information on the state of the art in Middle Eastern Studies in its broadest sense. The Congress is aimed at scholars, researchers, educators, students, professionals and other groups interested in studies on North Africa, the Middle East and the Muslim states of Central Asia as well as other regions of the world which are directly or indirectly affected by affairs in these areas.