The Pittsburgh Middle East Institute's Fourth Annual Conference included a dinner Oct. 26 with former Secretary of State and Nobel Laureate Dr. Henry Kissinger at Carnegie Music Hall, where PMEI Founder & CEO Simin Curtis, announced from stage, that PMEI is now becoming a national organization, the American Middle East Institute (AMEI) headquartered in Pittsburgh. Dr. Kissinger was greeted by 300 VIP guests who lined up to meet him during cocktails. PMEI (now AMEI) founder & CEO, Simin Curtis was joined at the event by a high level Omani & Saudi Arabian delegations, including, Minister of Higher Education from the Sultanate of Oman, Her Excellency Dr. Rawya Al Busaidi, Oman ambassador to the United States Hunaina Al-Mughairy, His Excellency Sultan Hamdoon Al Harthi, Mayor of Muscat, Oman; and business leaders from Saudi Arabia, Paddy Padmanathan, Yusuf Giansiracusa and Amer Kayani. Other special guests included Elsie Hillman, Paul & Nancy O'Neill, David & Gabriela Porges, Bill & Vivian Benter, John & Catharine Ryan, Dennis & Veronica Yablonsky, Venkee & Babeena Sharma, Bill Flanagan, Sir Peter Brown, Laura Ellsworth, John Goetz & Chuck Bogosta.

After dinner, nearly 2,000 came to hear Dr. Kissinger in conversation with Former Governor & U.S. Attornery General Dick Thornburgh, who were introduced by Former U.S. Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill.