CMES: Whose Narrative Is It? Supporting Moderate Voices In The Syrian Conflict

Date: 

Monday, December 12, 2016, 12:00pm to 1:30pm

Location: 

Carr Ctr Conf Rm, Rubinstein Building, Rm 291, Harvard Kennedy School

 

The Carr Center for Human Rights Policy, the Middle East Initiative, HKS, and the CMES Middle East Forum present

Martha Meyers
MENA Operations Director, ARK Group

Martha Myers has over 30 years of  experience in Palestine, Jordan, Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, Yemen, and the Sultanate of Oman. Her professional experience includes having worked for non-governmental organizations, the United Nations, and donor agencies. She has conceptualized, designed, and managed a full spectrum of response including humanitarian/emergency, resilience, and development.

Everyone, including Bashar Al-Assad, ISIS, the opposition, and Jihadists, has a narrative about what has happened and what is happening in Syria. Everyone villainizes the other. Everyone represents themselves as the source of salvation, earthly or otherwise. Everyone seeks to dehumanize and demoralize the other. So whose narrative is correct? Why is narrative important? How are narratives being used in this conflict? Can we support some kind of decent outcome by contributing to the cacophony?

Co-sponsors: Carr Center for Human Rights Policy; Middle East Initiative, HKS; and CMES Middle East Forum.
Contact: The Middle East Initiative; 617.496.4190