George Mason University will get an in-depth look at the Palestine-Israel conflict this week with Dr. Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations.
Mansour will visit the Fairfax campus to speak to the Mason community about ongoing peace negotiations between Palestine and Israel and the Palestinian effort to gain statehood standing with the United Nations. The event will take place Thursday, Feb. 16, from 5-6:30 p.m. in the Johnson Center Cinema.
The Mason Global Affairs Student Organization is organizing the event. Stu Carroll, global affairs masters student and president of the organization, said Dr. Mansour’s appearance at Mason is both an achievement for any organization and very relevant to today’s global concerns.
“This is one of a handful of topics that has defined recent history, and it will remain an important issue going forward,” Carroll said. “If you look at the discourse on global studies, the Palestine-Israel conflict ranks at or near the top of the list. As a student organization, we are committed to being on top of the most pressing global issues.”
Doors open at 4:30 p.m., and seating will be given to those who come first. The organizers prefer that attendees RSVP, because they expect the cinema to be filled to capacity.
Mansour will take questions after giving his remarks. According to Laura Boyette, vice president of the Mason Global Affairs Student Organization, many people, both on- and off-campus, are interested in the event.
“I’m excited to hear Mansour give his perspective of the situation,” she said. “His insight is valuable, and we rarely get a chance to hear such an account through our available media.”
Mills Kelly, director of the Global Affairs Program at Mason, commented on the event.
“It is important that George Mason University is a place where many different opinions can be voiced in an environment that encourages students to engage with speakers such as Dr. Mansour,” he said. “George Mason students, whether they have a personal stake in the negotiations between Israel and Palestine or not, understand the importance of such a solution for the world they live in and so should find Dr. Mansour's presentation enlightening, even as it may be challenging to their views on the issues.”
February 14, 2012