School of International Relations Institute of Middle East, Central Asia and Caucasus Studies organises Sudan Awareness Week

From 18 to 25 April 2026, Dr Wassim Naboulsi from the School of International Relations’ Institute of Middle East, Central Asia and Caucasus Studies (MECACS) organised a Sudan Awareness Week for the University with a variety of events.

During the programme, the Arts Building housed the photography and art exhibition Sudan in Extraordinary Times.

Other activities included a Sudanese Cooking Night co-hosted by the Middle Eastern and North African Society (MENA) and Amnesty International St Andrews; a lecture by Professor Alex de Waal; a film screening followed by a Q&A with Rania Obead, a Sudanese feminist researcher and activist; and campaigns to support Sudanese charities and gather signatures opposing the Home Office’s decision to pause student visa applications from Sudan and three other countries. The week concluded with a workshop titled Inclusive Curriculum in Practice: Sudan and the Politics of Knowledge Production.

The week was funded by the University of St Andrews EDI Project Fund and the School of International Relations EDI Committee. It was organised by MECACS in collaboration with the British Society for Middle Eastern Studies (BRISMES) and the Amnesty student society, whose members played a key role in promoting and co-organising the events.

Reflecting on the week, Dr Naboulsi said:

The week was a great success, both in terms of strong attendance and the high level of engagement in discussions, and in the interest it has generated beyond St Andrews.