The 8th Annual Student Peace Conference will take place April 18-22, 2016 at Loyola University New Orleans. The conference includes a keynote address, interactive lectures, panel discussions, student presentations, a fundraising gala with concerts, dance, poetry readings, a silent auction, and more.

The schedule of events are below:

• April 18-22 - Academic Presentations/Panel Discussions - Students will present papers and projects on the subject of peace. A judges’ panel comprised of Loyola faculty will present three awards for outstanding presentations – one for a presentation on the Middle East and two for presentations addressing general topics. Students will present papers on issues related to the #BlackLivesMatter movement, human rights, police aggression, sustainable food and health, biomedical systems in New Orleans and abroad, feminism in the Middle East and beyond, U.S. involvement in the Middle East and other issues.
   
• April 20 - Refugee Benefit – “Syria and Beyond Refugee Benefit” will take place April 20 from 7-10 p.m. in Nunemaker Auditorium in Monroe Hall. The benefit will include music, dance, food, and poetry with performances by the Crescent City Lotus Belly Dance Group; music by Elias Khalaf and Nidal Abirafeh, Johnny Azari, and Love Child; poetry by Andy Young and Khaled Hegazzi, FreeQuency, Edwig Talamet Talbayev and Teresa Villa-Ignacio, Khaled Zaytoun, and Zoreh Khaleghi. Cost is $5. Donations will be accepted and benefit The American Refugee Committee, Catholic Relief Services, and Doctors Without Borders.
   
• April 21 - Keynote Speaker – Scholar and publisher Dr. Linda K. Jacobs, author of Strangers in the West: The Syrian Colony of New York City, 1880-1900, will speak about the history of Syrian immigration and today’s present crisis. The talk will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, April 21, 2016 in Miller Hall, Room 114. Jacobs holds a Ph.D. in Near Eastern Archaeology/Anthropology and spent many years working on archaeological excavations and economic development projects in the Middle East. She is committed to promoting Middle Eastern culture and knowledge in the United States. Jacobs founded KalimahPress in 2011 and sits on the board of several Middle Eastern organizations, including the Near East Foundation and the Moise Khayrallah Center. Jacobs is the author of two books, both published by KalimahPress. All four of her grandparents were members of the New York Syrian Colony.