The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute’s Winter Lecture Series will present a symposium, “Global Displacement: Political Conflict and Climate Change,” via a Zoom livestream from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Oct. 17.

The symposium, which will feature four leading experts on global displacement, is open to the public, costs $10 and requires registration. Registration can be completed online or by calling the OLLI office at 402-472-6265.

In 2019, at least 150 million people felt compelled to leave their homes, outside the bounds of legal migration, for political or socio-economic reasons. Some were fleeing war, other violence or persecution. Others fled due to the absence of economic opportunity or because of a natural disaster, often linked to climate change. As a result, there was growing demand for an increased international response by public and private agencies. OLLI’s half-day symposium examines the pressing problem.

“The goal of the symposium is to increase our understanding of the challenges of forced displacement confronting the global community and in the United States,” said Dee Aguilar, OLLI coordinator.

This year’s speakers will address the causes of global displacement and its effects on human migration, along with the role of various nation-states and international organizations.

Speakers include:

• Elizabeth Ferris, research professor with the Institute for the Study of International Migration at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. From January to September 2016, Ferris served as senior adviser to the UN General Assembly’s Summit for Refugees and Migrants in New York.

• Viviane Clement, climate change specialist in the Climate Change Group at the World Bank.

• Leah Zamore, senior policy analyst at the Center for International Cooperation at New York University. Zamore covers a range of issues, including refugee policy, humanitarian response and conflict prevention.

• Kanta Kumari Riguard, an environmental specialist and regional climate change coordinator in the Africa region of the World Bank Group. Kumari Riguard is a leading expert on climate adaptation and will discuss both global patterns and specific areas of the world, including the United States. She led a multidisciplinary team on the World Bank Group’s pioneering flagship report “Groundswell – Preparing for Internal Climate Migration,” as well as the report series “Turn Down the Heat,” which looked at climate science and development impacts.

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln is a member-driven organization committed to providing and promoting superior-quality, high-appeal learning experiences, events and travel opportunities designed for adults 50 and over who believe that “curiosity never retires.”