A community discussion, “Syria: Alternatives to Military Intervention & Prospects for Peace” will take place on Tuesday, September 17, in Richmond. The event will explore the current crisis in Syria, diplomatic options, and the continued risk of war.
“For the moment we have stepped back from the brink of an overt U.S. intervention in Syria. There is however, a long diplomatic road ahead, and the possibility of U.S. airstrikes remains real,” said Richmond Peace Education Center director Adria Scharf. “It’s important for Richmonders to stay informed.”
The event speakers will include J. Daryl Byler and Dr. Michael Fischbach.
J. Daryl Byler is Director of the Center for Justice & Peacebuilding at Eastern Mennonite University. From 2007 until 2013, he lived in Amman, Jordan, serving as a regional representative for Mennonite Central Committee. In this capacity he worked with local NGO partners in Iran, Iraq, Jordan and Israel-Palestine on a variety of humanitarian assistance, development and peacebuilding projects. During this period he worked extensively with Syrian refugees, and at the event he will share some stories and photos of Syrian families that he knows. Mr. Byler wrote the Sept. 5 op-ed in the Richmond Times Dispatch, “Don’t Strike,” which describes alternatives to war in Syria. The article is here:http://www.timesdispatch.com/o
Dr. Michael Fischbach is Professor of History at Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Virginia. He received his doctorate in modern Middle Eastern history from Georgetown University. Fischbach frequently addresses international conferences and the media, and has been a consultant for Middle Eastern negotiators as well as the Library of Congress, the United Nations Development Programme, and the International Development Research Center.
The event will be held on Tuesday, September 17th, 7:00pm at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Richmond, 1000 Blanton Ave Richmond, Virginia 23221
The discussion will be moderated by RPEC director Adria Scharf.
Contact: Adria Scharf, Director Richmond Peace Education Center, (804) 232-1002 orscharf@rpec.org
