The 174th session of the Monthly Mahdavi Culture Seminar Series on“The Middle East as the Civilizational Arena of East and West” was held online on Thursday, 17 July 2025.
The main lecture was delivered by Esmaʿil Shafiʿi Sarvestani, writer, journalist, and researcher of Mahdism and eschatology. His presentation examined the distinct significance of the Middle East from the dawn of history through to the era of the reappearance, analyzing its role as the site of civilizational and cultural encounters between East and West.
Relying on his expertise in Western studies, Persian literature, cultural studies, and Mahdism, Shafiʿi Sarvestani explored the Middle East as a pivotal cultural and civilizational arena for the Islamic world, while also fostering scholarly discussion among participants.
