International panel event
Thursday 19 March 2026
6:00–7:30 pm
Hosted by the Diplomacy Society of University College London (UCL), in collaboration with United Against Inhumanity (UAI)
United Against Inhumanity (UAI) and the UCL Diplomacy Society are pleased to invite students, researchers, activists and all those interested in international affairs and human rights to a timely panel discussion on the crisis in Myanmar, including the situation of the Rohingya.
This event builds on earlier collaborations between UAI and the UCL Diplomacy Society, including a joint panel in January 2023 and a workshop held in September 2025 with the support of the United Nations Association UK. Since then, important political, diplomatic and humanitarian developments have made this conversation even more urgent.
Why this event matters
Myanmar remains at the centre of one of the most serious and neglected crises in the world. The armed conflict continues, the Rohingya remain displaced and denied justice, and humanitarian needs are deepening both inside Myanmar and across the region.
At the same time, the international context is shifting rapidly. Aid budgets are being cut. New regional and global political alignments are taking shape. Hearings at the International Court of Justice have continued. Elections in Myanmar and Bangladesh have raised new questions about legitimacy, power and regional responsibility. Meanwhile, international actors including ASEAN, the UN and neighbouring states are under growing pressure to respond more effectively.
This event offers a space to reflect on these developments and to discuss what they mean in practice — diplomatically, politically and humanitarily.
What we will discuss
The panel will explore questions including:
- What is the likely trajectory of the armed conflict in Myanmar?
- What role can the UN, ASEAN and other international actors play?
- Is there any realistic prospect of ending military rule and moving towards democratic accountability?
- How far can the international humanitarian system respond to the crisis?
- What changes may emerge in refugee policy in Bangladesh and other host countries?
- Can cooperation between IOM and UNHCR be improved in support of Rohingya refugees?
- Is Rohingya repatriation a viable objective, or should other strategies be prioritised?
- What advocacy opportunities exist at this moment?
Panelists
The discussion will feature:
Laetitia van den Assum
Former Ambassador of the Netherlands and member of the Advisory Commission on Rakhine State, chaired by Kofi Annan (2016–2017)
Lucky Karim
Advocate with Refugees International and founder of Refugee Women for Peace and Justice
Dr Jeff Crisp
Former UNHCR official and UAI volunteer
Ewen Macleod
Independent Consultant
Chair: Dr Melanie Garson, UCL (TBC)
Join us
The event will take place in person at the UCL campus and is aimed especially at students from UCL and neighbouring universities, including King’s and LSE. Some guest speakers may join online if they are unable to travel to London.
The discussion will also be live-streamed on Zoom, and a recording will be made available afterwards.
Whether you are following developments in Myanmar closely or looking to better understand one of the defining humanitarian and diplomatic crises of our time, we warmly encourage you to join us.
