The SGMOIK

The Swiss Society Middle East and Islamic Cultures (SGMOIK) was founded in Bern in 1990 and has been a member of the Swiss Academy of Humanities and Social Sciences (SAGW) since 1995. It is a multi­lingual society active through­out Switzer­land.

Objectives

The society supports university teaching relating to the Middle East and North Africa and to Islam, particularly in the fields of languages, history, art and politics. It also aims to make the results of research conducted in Switzerland on the MENA region and the various man­ifes­tations of Islam accessible to a wider public. Another of its objectives is to foster net­working among researchers.

The SGMOIK is politically neutral. Accordingly, it does not seek to promote any particular religious orien­tation or ideology.

Events, publications and networks

Our events and publications aim to create spaces for exchange and encounter that encourage the expression of different perspectives on the Middle East and Islamic cultures. We regularly organise conferences, round-­table discussions and seminars, as well as more informal meetings and visits in different cities across Switzer­land. Once a year, the magazine Almanach publishes a selection of texts that have appeared on our blog, together with an editorial. The archive of the former SGMOIK Bulletin is also available online. The SGMOIK network and the Manazir platform foster informal exchange among researchers and support the dissemi­nation of know­ledge to the wider public.

Who are our members?

The society has 230 members (as of December 2025), working in education, research, journalism, culture, international relations and many other fields. Above all, they share a professional or personal interest in the Middle East and North Africa and its connections with the rest of the world, as well as in the diverse mani­fes­tations of Islam in different historical, social and political contexts.