Kudos go to the nonprofit Mount Rushmore Institute for organizing an extraordinary two-day conference on the Middle East.

The forum, held at Mount Rushmore, was titled "Understanding the Middle East Conflicts: Why should Americans care?" Panelists and more than 200 participants from around the state answered that question and more.

The Rushmore Institute attracted internationally recognized experts, including a former U.S. ambassador to Israel and Egypt, a former Israeli peace negotiator, a Palestinian pollster and assorted scholars, journalists and diplomats.

Audience members included soldiers in the South Dakota Army National Guard. Some had already deployed to the Middle East. Others were preparing to deploy. Students from throughout South Dakota also attended.

In addition, South Dakota Public Broadcasting made the conference available by live Webcast.

The Mount Rushmore Institute was created in 2005, based on the vision of Jim Nelson, president of the Mount Rushmore National Memorial Society. Nelson and his successor as society president, Johnny Brockelsby, started the discussions that led to the institute itself. Its mission is to "provide an environment of learning and dialogue, inspired by the world-renowned sculpture, to advance the cause of freedom and the principles of democracy."

Last year the institute offered a forum on the First Amendment.

This year's forum on the Middle East was organized by Dick Gowen, former president of the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. Gowen and others created an opportunity for South Dakotans to learn firsthand about conflicts half a world away that have a direct impact on all our lives.

The list of sponsors of the Middle East forum included many generous local donors and organizations from around the nation. The list is too long to repeat here. The National Park Service was the host. The Michael Harrington Center for Democratic Values and Social Change in New York City and the Middle East Institute in Washington, D.C., participated. So did the W.O. Farber Center at the University of South Dakota in Vermillion and the Chiesman Foundation for Democracy in Rapid City.

There are more. They all deserve our thanks.