Join the UW Jackson School of International Studies on Oct. 6 for the panel discussion, “Focus on Syria: A Humanitarian Crisis.”

Panelists include a recent volunteer on the Greek island of Lesbos, the director of the Syrian Transition Assistance and Response Team at the U.S. Embassy in Turkey, a UW Medicine doctor who has volunteered in refugee camps, and Jackson School faculty experts.

The panel begins on Tuesday, Oct. 6 at 7 p.m. in Thomson Hall 101 at the University of Washington in Seattle. The event is free and open to the public.

Syria’s drawn-out civil war has displaced millions of people since 2011. The refugee crisis has spilled from neighboring Middle East countries into the European Union, where countries still struggle to recover from the Great Recession. The results have made headlines in the news this month. A cell phone video showed police throwing food to people in a migrant camp, while a disturbing photo of a toddler who drowned off the coast of Turkey went viral on social media. The Pope has called on every Catholic parish to take in one refugee family and President Obama says the U.S. will accept 10,000 refugees next year.

Panelists for this event include:

Jennifer Butte-Dahl, Director of the Master of Arts in Applied International Studies program at the UW Jackson School of International Studies. Butte-Dahl volunteered last month with the not-for-profit Shelterbox on the Greek island of Lesbos (a destination for many refugees arriving by water).

Kathie Friedman, Associate Professor, UW Jackson School of International Studies. Her research interests include forced migrations and refugees.

Neil McFarland, M.D., UW Medicine, has volunteered in Greece, Jordan and other refugee camps.

Mark S. Ward, Director of the Syrian Transition Assistance and Response Team (START) at the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, will join the discussion via Skype.

Reşat Kasaba (moderator), is the UW Stanley D. Golub Chair of International Studies and Director of the Jackson School of International Studies.