The 'vote' caused upset amongst a number of LibDem activists. 

Expressed concerns included:

- The problems (Daesh/ Jihadism / Syria/ the multi faith issues) and possible solutions were not clear;

- that a strategy to deal with the war and the aftermath was not dealt with and remains open;

- communication with the Parliamentary Party was inadequate and dialogue was insufficient; and

 - that in the  debate opposing contributors were often criticised when all views should be respected and welcomed.

 

The Conference will look at how the Parliamentary Party arrived at its decision, the problems behind the conflict in Syria and Daesh and how a 'stategy' for Syria can be formulated. It will then look at how comunications can be improved with the Parliamentary Party and how debate can be positive.

 

 

Register Now! Please note that payment by cheque or at the door is subject to a small handling charge which wil be donated to the charitities below. Whilst online payment is through PayPal, please note you do not need a PayPal Account - you may pay by credit/debit card as a 'Guest'.

 

We hope you can come to this important event, but if you cannot and wish to send your apologies. please click on 

Decline 

Donation:

Whilst Syria is a political problem for Liberal Democrats, it is a humanitarian and personal catastrophe for those involved.

The following are six small charities. If you donate, pay by cheque or register at the last moment, your donation will be shared equally amongst these six charities. Any surplus from registrations and expenses will be istibuted to these charities.

If you are unable to attend, we hope you will still make a donation, which we will share between the six charities:

1. Migrant Offshore Aid Station

This charity exists to save children like Alan Kurdi, with a fleet of rescue boats patrolling the Mediterranean to save migrants lost at sea.

2. Refugees Welcome

Dubbed as a kind of “Airbnb for refugees” this German nonprofit matches people with spare rooms with refugees in need of housing. If you don’t have a spare bed in Germany, you can donate here.

3. The Worldwide Tribe in Calais

A group of social activists documenting stories in the Calais migrant camp, they also raise relief funds.  

4. Small Projects Istanbul

Provides classes and cultural enrichment and scholarships to Syrian children in Turkey.

5. Karam Foundation

A  charity that works in Turkey and is also focused on educational opportunities for Syrian children, currently raising funds to rebuild schools in Syria.

6. Hand in Hand for Syria

One of the few organizations that directly provides aid on the ground in Syria, including food, clothing, water, sanitation and crucial medical assistance to “help people to stay in Syria instead of fleeing to another country.”

Details of Speakers ( this secion under edit)

 

John McHugo (LibDem Member) is the author of a book Syria: A Recent History which was published in 2015 and has received much critical acclaim. He is also a senior fellow at the Centre for Syrian Studies at St Andrews University, and an adviser to Tim Farron on peace in the Middle East (Israel/Palestine).  

. http://www.johnmchugo.com/biography/ (He is  no longer chair of Lib Dem Friends of Palestine, and his appointment as an adviser to Tim Farron is not yet there)

Jonathan Brown is Risk Manager at medical assistance company CEGA (www.cegaroup.com), where he advises journalists, NGO workers and corporates on handling medical emergencies in remote and hostile locations. He lived in Damascus and Amman between 2004 and 2007, raises money for Hand in Hand for Syria (www.handinhandforsyria.org.uk) and is an activist with the Syria Solidarity Movement UK (www.syriauk.org). He is Chair of the Chichester Liberal Democrats.

Yasmine Nahlawi is Advocacy and Policy Coordinator at the Rethink Rebuild Society (http://www.rrsoc.org/) and is going to be speaking in the slot on options for the future with a particular focus on including Syrians in the process.   RRS produced the policy document 'Syria between dictatorship and ISIS - What can the United Kingdom do?' ( http://www.rrsoc.org/node/313 ).

Reading and links:

John McHugo : an article based on his  lecture at the Gingko Conference in London a year ago on the aftermath of the First World War in the Middle East. The topic was the link between today's sectarianism in Syria and elsewhere and the Mandates:  http://bit.ly/1kvMK43

Omar Ashour

Omar Ashour is Senior Lecturer in Security Studies at the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies in University of Exeter. is unable to attend but supplied links to two articles:

Rethink Rebuild Society -  policy document titled

'Syria Between Dictatorship and ISIS: What can the United Kingdom Do?   :

http://www.rrsoc.org/node/313

 

LibDem Voice 05/01/2016:

Article by George Kendall

http://bit.ly/1OKvaRS