Guest seminar “UNRWA: challenges to neutrality, legitimacy and operational capacity in a politicised conflict.”
Author meeting: “Negotiator of great history. Jerzy Sułek on the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Poland and Polish diplomacy after 1989 in conversation with Alicja Curanović”
January 9, 2026
A Carol Evening – Invitation to the “Polityki Dźwięku” Concert Series
January 9, 2026
The Faculty of Political Science and International Studies at the University of Warsaw is pleased to invite you to a guest seminar titled “UNRWA: challenges to neutrality, legitimacy and operational capacity in a politicised conflict.”
The seminar will be conducted in English and held via an online platform, January 19, 11:30 AM.
Registration form: https://forms.gle/EvW4JGPiyreuswdG7
Our guest speaker will be Marc Lassouaoui, Senior Manager, Outreach Europe at the UNRWA Representative Office for Europe, an expert with over twenty-five years of experience within the United Nations system.
The discussion will address the multifaceted challenges facing the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). In an era of increasing politicization, the seminar will explore how the Agency maintains its commitment to neutrality and legitimacy while ensuring operational continuity. Key topics will include the impact of political pressure on humanitarian mandates and the strategies used to secure resources and partnerships across Europe and beyond.
Marc Lassouaoui was appointed Senior Manager for Europe Outreach at the UNRWA Representative Office for Europe (ROE) in August 2021. His mission is to enhance the understanding of UNRWA’s mandate and foster strategic partnerships across the continent. Since joining UNRWA in 2001, he has held several high-level positions:
- 2016–2021: Served as Chief of Donor Relations and Acting Director for Partnerships, leading the Agency’s global fundraising operations.
- 2011–2016: Deputy Head of the UNRWA Representative Office in New York, providing political analysis and reporting on Middle East issues to the UN Security Council and the General Assembly.
- 2001–2011: Overseer of relations with partner governments worldwide, including the US, Europe, and the Gulf, and founder of UNRWA Committees in Spain and the US.
Established by the General Assembly in 1949, UNRWA is mandated to provide humanitarian assistance and protection to registered Palestine refugees pending a just and lasting solution to their plight. The Agency operates in the West Bank (including East Jerusalem), Gaza, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. UNRWA provides essential services in education, health care, relief, social services, and emergency assistance, funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions.
