Damascus to Berlin: Europe's Refugee Crisis

Since the Syrian civil war began, over 4 million people have fled the country as refugees. The European Union estimates over 1.3 million made asylum claims in 2015 alone. With over 6 million Syrians still internally displaced (UNHCR), how is Europe responding to the crisis and preparing for further migration? What are the prospects for refugees after they arrive in Europe? What kind of foreign policy can we expect from European leaders? And what implications does this crisis have for European security?

The Australian Institute of Internatonal Affairs ACT, in collaboration with the ANU Centre for European Studies, will convene a panel to grapple with these important questions and to discuss the expansive ramifications of this crisis.

FREE Event - please register here

Dr Raihan Ismail

Dr Ismail is Associate Lecturer at the ANU Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies. She has a Bachelor in Political Science, with a minor in Islamic Studies, and a Masters in International Relations from the International Islamic University of Malaysia. Dr Ismail’s research interests include Sectarianism in the Gulf region, Political Islam with a strong focus on Egypt and South East Asia, and studies of religious institutions in the Middle East. She has published in the Journal of Shi’a Islamic Studies and has also written for The Canberra Times and openDemocracy and has presented at a number of international conferences, including the British Middle East Society’s annual conference in Dublin 2013.

Dr Stephan Fruehling

Dr Stephan Fruehling is an Associate Professor in the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, and Deputy Director (Education) of the Coral Bell School of Asia-Pacific Affairs. From August to December 2015, he was the ‘Partner across the globe’ research fellow in the Research Division of the NATO Defense College in Rome. In 2014-2015, Stephan was a member of the Australian Government’s external panel of experts on  the 2016 Defence White Paper. He was the inaugural Director of Studies of the ANU Master in Military Studies program at the Australian Defence Force’s Australian Command and Staff College from October 2011 to June 2012, and the Deputy Director of Studies until the end of 2013. Stephan was Managing Editor of the journal Security Challenges from 2006 to 2014.

Mohanned Qassar

Mohanned arrived in Canberra in 2004 after leaving Syria. He has since operated as a translation and media official at three embassies in Canberra. In 2014, Mohanned established the Institute of Australia-Middle East Business & Education, which aims at advancing cultural and business relations between the two regions. As a witness of the Syrian crisis, Mohanned speaks regularly on the issue, including a recent presentation at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade titled “Daesh, Islam, and Politics.”

Michael Wilson

Michael is Global Citizen’s Senior Editor for Europe, and formerly an economics nerd/commentator. A London-based Australian, Michael has lived in six countries, and has co-written two best-selling books.