Tradition

The Arab World has a very old and rich cultural tradition. It must be emphasized that there is no “one” Arab culture or society. The Arab world is full of rich and diverse communities, groups and cultures. Photo: Traditional berber clay ksar kasbah Ait Ben Haddou in Sahara desert, Morocco

Modernity

While often appearing very "traditional", some Arab cities display stunningly modern architecture. Photo: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

The Arab Spring has again reminded us of the political importance of the Arab World. While the revolt was completely unpredictable, the socio-economic transformation of the Arab World has given rise to new social forces that the old regimes proved unable to suppress.

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Learn Arabic at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa

Four Reasons to Learn Arabic!

World Language

1Arabic is the official language of over 20 countries and is spoken by over 320 million native speakers. It is also an official language of the United Nations, the Arab League, the Organization of Islamic Conference, and the African Union.

Liturgical Language

2In addition to the millions of native speakers, many more millions know Arabic as a foreign language, since as the language of the Qu’ran, it is understood by Muslims throughout the world

High Demand

3The growing importance of the Middle East in international affairs has created a high demand for Arabic speakers in the western world but, unfortunately (and fortunately for you!), there is an extreme shortage of people with knowledge of Arabic language and culture.

Economic Potential

4The increasing integration of the Arab world into the global economy has opened up numerous new business opportunities. The Arab region provides a huge export market for goods and services.