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The event, which is hosted by the Center for Asian Studies, seeks to figure out what’s next for the trauma-stricken country.

When the United States withdrew from Afghanistan on Aug. 30, there was a lot of conversation about what that meant for the country—and the people left behind. An upcoming event at the University of Colorado Boulder, though, hopes to provide some insight.

The event, Afghanistan, the United States Departure and the Taliban Takeover: Experiences and Perspectives, will take place Oct. 8th at 4 p.m. and will feature speakers that will speak to their own experiences of United States engagements in Afghanistan, the evacuation efforts and the realities of Taliban rule.

“I think the withdrawal of troops was not handled well, meaning there was no real plan for how to protect our Afghan allies or to help people effectively and efficiently evacuate from the country. Many are still left behind who are currently under threat,” said Jennifer Fluri, one of the event's speakers and a professor of geography at CU Boulder.

“This event is significant because it will provide an opportunity for people to hear a more in-depth overview and understanding of Afghanistan, above and beyond current media reports.”

You can register for the event, which will be capped out at 300 participants, at this Zoom registration link.

The four speakers include:

Fluri is a feminist political geographer concentrating on conflict, security, and aid or development in South and Southwest Asia. Fluri is particularly interested in understanding the spatial organization and corporeal representations and experiences of individuals and groups working and living within conflict zones.

Sayeed Naqibullah
Title: Living under Taliban Rule
Bio: Sayeed Naqibullah was born and raised in Afghanistan. He has worked with expats in Afghanistan and now lives in Colorado.  

Zareen Taj
Title: The Fate of Ethnic Minorities under Taliban Rule
Bio: Zareen Taj is a women’s rights and human rights activist. She is currently a PhD student at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County.

Zalad Ahmad
Title: Now What? The Economics of being an Afghan woman in today’s Afghanistan
Bio: Zalad Ahmad, founder of HOLD, and Afghan NGO, has over 15 years of experience working in the field of international development, with a focus on education, human rights, and economic development. She is a research associate in the Department of Geography at CU Boulder.

This event is sponsored by the Center for Asian Studies, and the Departments of Geography, History, Women and Gender Studies, Sociology and Anthropology, the International Affairs Program, and International Business Circle.