The United Nations Lecture Series will continue with a discussion of “Women’s Empowerment in the Middle East” by Dr. Hanada Taha Jan. 28.

Taha is the acting dean of Bahrain Teacher’s College at the University of Bahrain. She received her doctorate in curriculum and instruction from the University of New Orleans and her master’s degree in educational psychology from the American University of Beirut.

Taha has taught Arabic language for the last 25 years and has created numerous Arabic language instruction pieces as well as scholarly works. She is involved in developing Arabic language standards for the Arab Thought Foundation and the International School Services as well as having trained thousands of Arabic language teachers and individuals.

To bring guest speakers such as Taha to university campus, Wilkes works in collaboration with the United Nations through the Humpty Dumpty Institute’s Higher Education Alliance, which acts as an intermediary in bringing United Nation officials to college campuses. This program first launched at Wilkes during the 2011-12 academic year.

“The speakers which are to visit campus throughout the spring semester will continue to present relevant and timely topics,” said Dr. Andrew Miller, professor of political science.

Miller helps in organizing the guest speakers and luncheons with the guest officials.

Wilkes is the only university in the northeast Pennsylvania region to work with the organization in bringing speakers to campus.

Past United Nations lecture topics include “The World Food Programme in Syria,” “Climate Change” and “Peacekeeping Missions around the World.”

The lecture has no admission charge and is open to the public. The discussion is to begin at 4 p.m. in the Miller Room of the Henry Student Center.