By JOHN KAUFELD
Chief Communications Officer, IPFW

FORT WAYNE — Inspired by recent events around the world, two upcoming events taking place at Indiana University–Purdue University Fort Wayne will shed light on the Syrian refugee crisis and give an opportunity for community discourse.

“Faculty and Students in Solidarity With the Syrian Refugees” will take place from noon to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 2, on the square between Neff Hall and the engineering, technology and computer science building and in the ETCS lobby by Bon Bon’s Coffee. An open mic will be available for those who wish to share their support for the Syrian refugees and a petition will be close by for signing.

“This event is a peaceful rally to show humanitarian support towards the Syrian refugees,” said Farah Combs, continuing lecturer in Arabic. “It is crucial for people to know that the refugees are fleeing for the sake of living and seeking a home. No one wants to leave their homeland.”

Combs is one of the event organizers, along with Nancy Virtue, professor of French in the department of international language and culture studies, who is the main organizer of the event, and Elana Merritt, who is an anthropology and women’s studies double major and in her first year of taking Arabic.

Free hot chocolate and coffee will be available. This event is free and open to the public and is sponsored by the IPFW Arabic and French programs, the department of international language and culture studies, the international studies program and the Institute for Holocaust and Genocide Studies. For more information, contact Combs at (260) 481-0247 or [email protected] or Virtue at (260) 481-6632 or [email protected].

Taking place from 6-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 2, in Neff Hall, room 101, is a presentation and panel discussion about the humanitarian crisis involving victims fleeing the violence in Syria. Titled, “Global Crisis, Local Action: Syrian Refugees and the Fort Wayne Community,” the conversation will include the sharing of first-person encounters with refugees arriving in Europe.

“The objective of this discussion is to engage the panelists and the audience in an exploration of the complex factors surrounding the humanitarian crisis and our role as citizens of a nation of immigrants,” said Assem Nasr, assistant professor in the department of communication and moderator for this event.

Event panelists include:

• Sam Jarjour, attorney, board chair of The Indiana Center for Middle East Peace
• Caleb Jehl, activist
• Ann Livschiz, associate professor, department of history
• Amar Masri, activist
• Jamie Toole, Ph.D., associate professor, department of political science

Moderator:

• Assem Nasr, assistant professor, department of communication

Panelists will consider the humanitarian plight, the role of the United States in providing relief and the role that the Fort Wayne community plays in assisting displaced families. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Nasr at (260) 481-6991 or [email protected].