The Vermont Council on World Affairs will observe the International Day of Peace on Tuesday with speakers talking about peace locally and globally, with a “sub-theme” focusing on current events in Afghanistan, organizers said.
“When we think of peace, we also have to think of the larger conversation of foreign policy and our actions and our decisions,” Patricia Preston, executive director of the council, said in a phone interview.
The counci had identified Afghanistan as a discussion topic for its first formal International Day of Peace observance before the fall of Kabul to the Taliban last month, Preston said. Organizers originally planned to discuss the U.S. withdrawal from the country following a 20-year war.
“Once the Taliban seized control, we actually took pause and said, ‘Is this the moment or should we give some space to this moment,’’” Preston said. “We decided ultimately no, we really need to dive deep into this now more so than ever, and where the intersection is between peace and conflict.”
Vermont expects to resettle 100 Afghan refugees in the state starting as soon as next month, according to Tracy Dolan, director of the State Refugee Office. That would fulfill a request made to the federal government by the Vermont chapter of the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants and supported by Gov. Phil Scott.
The first refugees are expected to be housed in Chittenden County, Dolan said on Friday, and the full resettlement process could take four to five months.
Scott is expected to discuss the state’s response to the crisis in Afghanistan during an opening address on Tuesday at 9 a.m. He will also share reflections on public diplomacy, on the impact of international exchanges on peace, and what peace means in the state, according to the schedule.
The schedule includes several other events related to Afghanistan, including:
- A celebration of Lida Nadery, the Vermont Council on World Affairs 2021 person of the year. Nadery is an Afghan woman who works on peace-building in Afghanistan, specifically with women and girls.
- A panel on current events in the country featuring Ronald E. Neumann, former U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, and Paula Nirschel, founder of the nonprofit Action for Afghan Women.
- A keynote speech from Jim Sciutto, CNN’s chief national security correspondent, who will bring insights from his time reporting in Kabul 20 years ago and analysis on the U.S. response to Afghanistan. He also plans to speak on the link between journalism and peace in the age of disinformation.
Events unrelated to Afghanistan include a book talk by Iranian-American journalist and humanitarian Tara Kangarlou, author of “The Heartbeat of Iran.”
“You have to understand and meet and learn about people from the rest of the world to really be able to find peace,” Preston said.
Tickets range up to $50. Those interested in attending the event can register here.
