During the conference, Congresswoman Johnson said, “Today’s conference, focusing on the Syrian Refugee Crisis, will allow us to build upon the past success of the “A World of Women for World Peace” initiative and help shape the dialogue as we welcome Syrian refugees into our communities. Though today’s discussion centers on the international community’s response, we must also think of what we can do domestically and locally. I am fully committed to welcoming Syrians into the Dallas community in any way I can. I sincerely hope that my colleagues will join me in tempering the hateful rhetoric and providing the necessary services for those displaced by war and conflict. Thank you to our expert panelists for providing such vital information to us today.”
The expert panel consisted of: Manal Omar, the Acting Vice President for the Middle East and Africa at the United States Institute of Peace; Mona Yacoubian, Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Middle East at the United States Agency for International Development; Chiara Cardoletti-Carroll, Deputy Regional Representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees; Tim Eydelnant, Syrian Coordinator of the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration at the U.S. Department of State; and Ghada Mukdad, Founder of the Zain Foundation, Board Member of the Syrian Civil Coalition, and current Dallasite.
The expert speakers widely agreed that the Syrian Refugee Crisis is colossal in scope—the biggest humanitarian crisis since World War II and the most expensive aid and resettlement process in the modern era. This panel addressed the nature of this crisis, including the plight of child refugees who lack access to education; the suffering of women who are forced into unwanted marriages or into practicing survival sex; the need for development in and respect for countries that host refugees; the need for a more uniformed response across Europe, as well as the complicated and escalating violence in Syria that causes these refugees to leave. Across the board, the panelists agreed that the international community, as a whole, needs to act swiftly and decisively to help these victims.
Congresswoman Johnson began the “A World of Woman for World Peace” initiative in 2001 to recognize and empower women to facilitate peace-building, peacemaking, and peace-keeping activities across the world. Today's conference helps us to re-emphasize the necessity of peace and diplomacy across the globe.
