In preparation for the Second Annual Conference of Strategic and Policy Studies Research Centers in the Arab world, due to be held December 7-9, 2013, the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies has received more than 170 proposed research papers. This year's focus is "The Palestinian Cause and the Future of the Palestinian National Movement," attracting papers under the following sub-themes: the future of the Palestinian national entity, transformations in Palestinian armed struggle, Palestinian refugee issues and conditions, social and political movements under Israeli occupation, developments in official and popular Arab attitudes toward the issue of Palestine and the Arab-Israeli conflict before and after the Arab Spring, Israeli colonialist policies, and social and political transformations within Israel.

The overwhelming response to the conference indicates the level of interest among researchers and academics regarding the issue of Palestine and the future of the Palestinian national project. The conference is expected to attract Arab and foreign researchers and academics, as well as Arab and international activists for the Palestinian cause. It should be noted that a significant number of prospective attendees will be young researchers with masters or doctoral degrees.

The Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies chose the issue of Palestine in recognition of its centrality among Arab issues and the importance of restoring it to the top of the research agenda for Arab research centers and researchers. This positions the issue of Palestine and its developments in the space of academic research, and helps predict the future of the Palestinian national project in light of new Arab variables.

The ACRPS holds two annual conferences: the Annual Conference on the Social Sciences and Humanities, which takes place in March and culminates in the presentation of the Arab Prize, and the Conference for Arab Research Centers, which hosts academics, researchers, representatives of strategic and policy studies centers in the Arab world, figures, and journalists from Arab and foreign media. Arab research centers are invited to the conference every year along with guests from among foreign research centers. This year's guests at the conference will be pertinent research centers from China and India.