The Fall of Assad and the Syrian Transition

Join us for an overview of the downfall of the Assad regime in Syria and the historic transition currently unfolding. Go beyond the headlines and hear directly from a Syrian American policy expert who has worked on the issue both inside and outside the U.S. government. What were the driving forces behind the regime’s collapse, and what are the geopolitical implications?

Guest Speaker: Wael Alzayat, CEO, Emgage

Wael Alzayat is the Chief Executive Officer of Emgage, a national voter engagement organization for Muslim Americans. In 2020, Emgage mobilized over one million Muslim voters for the presidential election in a historic national campaign across 14 states. He previously served as senior policy advisor to the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power under the Obama administration, where he advised on Iraq, the Levant and the counter-ISIS campaign. Mr. Alzayat is a non-resident fellow at the Middle East Institute and has taught a graduate course on U.S. policy toward Iraq and Syria at Georgetown University. Alzayat received his B.A. in Middle East History and Political Science from the University of California at Berkeley and his Master of Science in Foreign Service with distinction from Georgetown University.

Co-sponsor:

Sigma Iota Rho

Host or Publisher FIU Mohsin and Fauzia Jaffer Center for Muslim World Studies