Al-Mhbra
One talk. One idea. One room.
A private evening series for intellectual talks. One speaker, one idea and a small room, over coffee in Dubai. For thought-provokers, curious minds and the perspectives people bring to the room.
By the community, for the community.
من المجتمع، للمجتمعAl-Mhbra المحبرة
Al-mihbara is Arabic for the inkwell: the vessel every scholar dipped into before writing something of their own. Everyone draws from the same source. What each person makes of it is theirs.
That is the evening. One talk shared by the room, and a dialogue that every guest takes somewhere new.
al-mihbara (n.): the inkwell; the place the writing begins.
A thought. An explanation. A dialogue.
Each evening takes something everyone thinks is modern, obvious or settled, and shows you why it isn’t. One speaker who knows a subject properly, and a room that leaves seeing something ordinary differently.
The speakers come from the community. What matters is a perspective worth hearing, explained well, and a room willing to answer back.
Curious ideas, and the people and perspectives behind them. Each evening’s subject stays with the guests until the night.
Two hours, in a quiet room.
Evenings are hosted with independent coffee houses in Dubai. Seats are limited. The speaker is filmed; guests only with their consent.
- 7:00Doors open. Coffee, and the people you came to meet.
- 7:25Phones down. The host opens the evening.
- 7:30The talk. One speaker, one idea.
- 8:10Questions from the room.
- 8:25The last question, asked of every speaker:
What do you believe that most people in this room don’t?
The room is built by the people in it.
Every speaker is proposed by the community. If you have an idea worth a room’s full attention, or know someone who does, this is the door.
Give a talk
Tell us the idea in one sentence. If it changes how a room sees something, we’ll call you.
Propose a talk →Put someone forward
The sharpest mind you know in Dubai. A name and one line on why is enough.
Nominate a speakerHost with us
An independent space with character that can go quiet for the talk. Let’s build an evening together.
CollaborateFour, and only four.
By invitation only. Request yours.
Every seat is by invitation. Those in the room at the beginning become the founding members. Every request is read personally. We’ll ask for:
- Your name, email and mobile
- What you do, in one line
- An idea you’d like to hear argued