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Yemenis Forum in Belgium Holds Symposium Titled “Yemenis in Diaspora.. Roles and Responsibilities” with Elite Academics and Thinkers

Yemenis Forum in Belgium Holds Symposium Titled “Yemenis in Diaspora.. Roles and Responsibilities” with Elite Academics and Thinkers

Antwerp – Belgium

The Yemenis Forum in Belgium held an important intellectual symposium yesterday, July 27th, titled “Yemenis in Diaspora.. Roles and Responsibilities,” in the city of Antwerp, Belgium. The symposium saw the participation of a number of prominent academic and community figures from the Yemeni community in Europe and America.

The symposium began with the Yemeni national anthem, followed by a welcoming speech delivered by the head of the forum, Engineer Walid Al-Dahbali, who welcomed the attendees, emphasizing the importance of strengthening ties among Yemenis in the diaspora and highlighting their national and community responsibilities.

Participants in the symposium included Dr. Adel Al-Shujaa, Professor of Sociology, from Spain; Professor Abdulsamad Al-Faqih, Head of the Washington Center for Yemeni Studies, from the United States; and Dr. Tariq Al-Kaldi, a specialist in Philosophy.

The participants addressed two main axes in their interventions. The first axis discussed the roles of Yemenis in the diaspora, shedding light on the importance of preserving Yemeni identity amidst the challenges of integration, and the role of Yemeni expatriates in serving their country’s causes through economic, political, and social fields. The necessity of establishing research and study centers concerned with the affairs of Yemenis abroad, and strengthening partnerships with international institutions to advance Yemeni issues on a broader level, was also emphasized.

The second axis discussed the responsibility of Yemenis towards their motherland. Participants addressed the importance of continuous communication with Yemen, and the role of expatriates in supporting peace and national reconciliation efforts, and actively contributing to development and enhancing political and economic participation from outside the homeland.

The symposium concluded by providing attendees with ample space for interventions, where they offered valuable additions and raised a number of questions and suggestions that enriched the discussions and contributed to deepening the discourse.

This symposium comes within the context of the Yemenis Forum in Belgium’s efforts to foster constructive dialogue among Yemeni communities abroad, and to create a space for shared thinking about the challenges and opportunities associated with migration and connection to the motherland.