Recent developments have brought Yemen back onto the global policy agenda. Shortly after the ceasefire in Gaza led the Houthis to suspend their attacks on Red Sea shipping, tensions inside Yemen once again escalated, this time driven by rivalry between the UAE and Saudi Arabia, two allies that entered the Yemen war shoulder to shoulder nearly a decade ago, now confronting each other through their respective local proxies.
Meanwhile, 15 years have passed since Yemen’s youth-led uprising called for freedom, dignity, and democratic change. Yet the country remains caught between the unfulfilled aspirations of that revolution and the harsh realities of protracted conflict. Ongoing fragmentation, proxy warfare, institutional collapse and a deepening economic crisis have devastated Yemen’s social fabric and pushed millions into hunger and insecurity. The recent Saudi–Emirati rift playing out inside Yemen is a stark reminder that the country remains entangled in a complex mix of civil war and regional power struggles.
In this special event, Tawakkol Karman reflects on the legacy of Yemen’s 2011 revolution, and how ongoing developments are reshaping society. Drawing on her experience as one of the most prominent voices of the Arab Spring, Karman will explore key questions, including:
- How are regional proxy dynamics and military power projection exacerbating conflicts such as Yemen’s?
- How do the ideals of Yemen’s 2011 revolution resonate today amid protracted conflict, economic collapse and humanitarian crisis?
- What role can youth and women play today in sustaining demands for justice, accountability and political change under conditions of war and fragmentation
- Where have regional and international mediations and peace efforts failed and succeeded in Yemen and global conflicts overall?
- Are viable pathways toward peace, renewal and inclusive governance still possible in Yemen, and what political, social or international shifts would be required to unlock them?
Simultaneous English-Arabic interpretation will be provided.
