Symposium on Afghanistan: Day 1
![](https://tuftsgloballeadership.org/sites/default/files/styles/155x85/public/images/events/Carolina-MERG.png?itok=KUQlmSwV)
The Middle East Research Group (MERG) is hosting a hybrid symposium on September 23rd and 24th on the topic of the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. The symposium will include three panels focused on the regional implications of Taliban control, the impact of the withdrawal on Afghan women, and the legacy and impact of US involvement.
The panels will be virtual, but streamed live for student viewing together, location still TBD. Following the panels there will be small group discussions for students in person. Additionally, there will be a food and fundraising component as well. More details coming soon.
Day 1 will start at 8:00 PM on Thursday, September 23rd and will include one panel: The Legacy of US Involvement in Afghanistan. It will feature two guest speakers:
- Mike McGuiness, Writer, Journalist, and former Squad Leader in the 82nd Airborne Division Army
- Erik Isaacson, Middle Eastern History Master’s Student at Tufts and former Airborne Cryptologic Linguist and Tactical Support Operator with the US Air Force.
- Alain Mentha, Executive Director of "Welcome Home Jersey City," a community-based nonprofit organization that provides educational, employment and material support for refugees, asylees and asylum-seekers in the Jersey City area