On Dec. 8, 2024, the world watched as Bashar al-Assad’s regime fell following the takeover of Syria by the opposition group led by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham. The 2011 uprising and subsequent 13-year civil war devastated the country, forcing more than 6 million Syrians to flee abroad, mostly to neighboring countries and Europe, and displacing another 7 million internally. As Syria enters a new phase under a transitional government, refugees now face the difficult decision of whether to return home.
This event featured a panel of experts who explored the following questions:
How has Syrian displacement affected regional politics, societal shifts, and global refugee protection policies?
What choices do Syrian refugees displaced both abroad and internally face today?
- How has more than a decade of war impacted the humanitarian conditions in Syria and the prospects for refugee return?
This discussion provided valuable insights into the long-term consequences of the Syrian conflict, the challenges of global displacement, and the future of refugee reintegration. This event was co-hosted by the Baker Institute Edward P. Djerejian Center for the Middle East and Every Shelter, a Houston-based humanitarian design firm focused on solutions for generational displacement. It is free and open to the public.
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Agenda
5:30 pm CST — Reception
6:00 pm CST — Introduction
6:10 pm CST — Panel Discussion
7:10 pm CST — Q&A Session
7:30 pm CST — Closing Remarks
Participants
Introduction
The Honorable David M. Satterfield
Director, Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy; Janice and Robert McNair Chair in Public Policy; Former Ambassador to Lebanon and Turkey
Featured Speakers
Rana Khoury, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Ibrahim Al-Assil, Ph.D
Senior Fellow, Middle East Institute; Professorial Lecturer, George Washington University
Natasha Hall
Senior Fellow, Center for Strategic and International Studies
Moderator
Kelsey Norman, Ph.D.
Fellow for the Middle East, Director of the Women's Rights, Human Rights, and Refugees Program, Baker Institute for Public Policy
Closing Remarks
Scott Key
CEO and Co-Founder, Every Shelter
