The public forum series "Current Issues in the Middle East" will focus on the Syrian refugee crisis in a discussion led by Samih Baalbaki on Thursday, Feb. 19, at 4 p.m. in the James J. Johnson Auditorium at Coastal Carolina University. The talk is free and open to the public.

Baalbaki, an instructor for Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, says the Syrian refugee crisis involves the displacement of more than nine million Syrians, the largest population of refugees in the world, according to the United Nations. "What will be the impact on today's children and tomorrow's adults?" he asks. The many problems of the crisis involve conflict with "host" countries, limited resources and lack of schooling for the youth who are constantly faced with terrorist ideology. Baalbaki will discuss possible solutions to this worldwide problem.

Baalbaki was born and raised in Lebanon and spent 17 years in the Middle East before retiring in America in 2012. Through his time spent in the region, he gained a personal insight into the Middle East through his observations of business, social and religious aspects of day-to-day life.

The Java Jabber discussions are sponsored by the Jackson Family Center of Ethics and Values and are designed to help students and community members to think and talk about contemporary political and ethical issues in the larger historical and religious context.

The Johnson Auditorium is located in the E. Craig Wall Sr. College of Business Administration at 119 Chanticleer Drive E. in Conway.

For more information, contact The Jackson Family Center at 843-349-4149.