Director gives talk at Kirklees Council Conference on Syria, 27th February 2014

The Director was invited to give a talk at a Conference organised by Kirklees Local Council for those involved in humanitarian aid conveys in Syria. This event brought together people from the Kirklees area with an interest in the current and ongoing humanitarian situation in Syria and sought to offer them advice on how to conduct safe and secure fund raising activities to support Syrian refugees.

Oliver used his to talk to challenge the idea that the Syrian conflict is intractable, instead  arguing that there is a lack of political will, vision and courage to address the real issues and to engage in an inclusive regional process aimed at finding a durable solution. He pointed to the new Tunisian constitution as an example of what is still possible in Syria- a free independent civil state rooted in its religious values but respecting the equal rights of all its citizens.With regards to the humanitarian situation in Syria, Oliver cautioned that groups working to support refugees must take care to ensure that, in their laudable desire to reach out to ease suffering, they act with due diligence to ensure that well intended responses do not add to the complexity of the conflict. He concluded that to act without thoughtful consideration as to the potential consequences of our actions, however well intended these acts of compassion may be, risks a 'moral' culpability.The speech was televised by Kirklees Local TV and will be available online shortly.