The Mahmoud Darwish lecture is an annual distinguished lecture sponsored by the Center for Middle East Studies and its New Directions in Palestinian Studies initiative and made possible through the generous support of multiple donors. Named after the renowned Palestinian poet and humanist Mahmoud Darwish, events in the Mahmoud Darwish series engage matters of pressing concern to Palestine and Palestinians through literature, art and the humanities more broadly. 

Beshara Doumani is the founder of New Directions in Palestinian Studies and the inaugural Mahmoud Darwish Professor of Palestinian Studies. Doumani is the founding director (2012-2018) of Brown's Center for Middle East Studies and served as President of Birzeit University in Palestine from 2021-2023.