In the Arab Gulf, the majlis (in Kuwait called diwaniya) is a room with cushions along the walls, coffee for every guest and an open door. People drop by, talk about the day, debate ideas and solve problems together. In 2015, UNESCO added the majlis to its list of intangible cultural heritage.
Huda Al-Mulhem and her colleagues see the majlis as a place of learning. Writing in the Journal of Leadership Studies, they describe how people share what they know there and practice thinking critically as they work through problems together. The talk moves easily from everyday news to serious questions that matter to the community.
At its best, the authors write, the conversation becomes true dialogue. Everyone takes part in learning, and everyone takes part in the decisions that follow.
The majlis also brings forth servant leaders: people whose thinking and actions help the community around them. It brings two kinds of learning together: expert knowledge shared among a few, and open conversation that welcomes everyone.
Today, many majalis (the plural) have moved online and reach far beyond the room. The authors see the majlis as an open and powerful way of sharing knowledge with people from all walks of life. It invites us, they write, to rethink who our audience is and to give the spoken word as much weight as the written one.
Sources
Al-Mulhem, H., et al. (2026). A (class)room for all: A crucible for collaborative learning. Journal of Leadership Studies. https://doi.org/10.1002/jls.70033
Further reading
Abdul-Jabbar, W. K. (2026). Contextualising teacher education curricula in the Arab Gulf States. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009518383