Leaders of the Gulf States felt an urgency to join forces after they were challenged by the 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran and its possible spillover in the region. On 26 May 1981, in Abu Dhabi the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Charter was signed by the heads of state of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The six states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have been employing armies of construction labourers, mainly from Asia—India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal—to build the huge projects that these countries are so well known for and that are used to build them an image of modern, progressive nations.

Preparing coming generations for the future has long been a challenge in the Middle East. Although education budgets have been increasing, illiteracy remains relatively high in the region, especially among women. Fanack’s authors have been asked to highlight the present state of education in the Gulf, Jordan, and Egypt.