The Communication Studies department hosted its first “Deliberative Dialogues” event Wednesday night, March 5, aimed at bringing diverse perspectives of different nationalities together to confront the political issues of today through conversation. 

The panel was moderated by Niko Emack, an affiliated faculty member in the Communication Studies department. The panel featured five students from Afghanistan and Haiti who gave their varying viewpoints on leadership, political discourse, foreign policy, and their experiences as international students. 

“I’ve seen a lot of harsh things. Especially during the wars, there were a lot of explosions,” said Subhan Aria, an Afghan native and a student. “I remember there was an explosion at [a] school and I had to go there. As a child, seeing people lying down with blood was really harsh for me.” 

Aria is a panelist who participated in the 2025 INSPIRE: Massachusetts Youth Leadership Institute, elaborated on living in a war-torn and politically unstable nation.

Melodie Vaval, a panelist and third-year journalism major from Haiti, said the country is a place one needs to experience to love. 

“What I love most about my country is the people and the resilience we have,” Vaval said.  

Mohammad Omar Rasooli, a fourth-year public relations and communication studies major from Afghanistan, echoed Vaval’s points of media portrayals of war-torn countries.

“You wouldn’t get who they are unless you go there, unless you meet them, unless you see how respectable, how welcoming they are,” the panelist said.

Rasooli characterized himself as one of the few individuals who have the privilege to be on the other side of the world, get a better education, and be exposed to other cultures and perspectives. 

He added that students and emerging leaders like him have a responsibility to “help create a better picture for [my] country and for our people.”

Rossiny Julien, a sophomore political communication major and panelist from Haiti, noted that students who immigrate from third-world countries can adapt to create a better future for themselves and their communities. 

“In a sense, we can go to a country, we learn from that country, and we will be able to go back to our country to serve,” Julien said.

Panelists were asked by Emack what the first issues they would tackle in their home country would be if given the opportunity. 

Vaval’s first order of business would be to address the wealth gap in Haiti. Thousands have been displaced in the country due to gang violence, political instability, and economic turmoil.

“It is criminal what’s going on in Haiti,” Vaval said. “We have a sliver of a middle class, and I think that is a huge root in all of our present day issues.”  She further explained how the media negatively portrays her country’s political landscape and history.

Julien would work to address the opportunity disparities for people who do not speak French in Haiti. French and Haitian Creole are the official languages of the country.

“It makes you feel like you were a foreigner when you’re living in your own country just because you’re not able to speak French,” Julien said. “For instance, there are certain institutions where you need to be able to express yourself in French.”

Aria noted that since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 2021, women have not been able to obtain an education. 

“The first thing I would do is build more schools,” Aria continued, “and let women go to school to continue their education.”

Omar Osmanzai, an Afghan native who joined Aria at the INSPIRE: Massachusetts Youth Leadership Institute, noted the language barriers and other educational difficulties when he first immigrated to the United States. As an international student, Ozmanzai believes that events like these are important to bring international college students together. 

“I think it’s nice that many of us can come together in the same school, learn together and share our different experiences,” Osmanzai said. “The wound of war is still fresh, but I think if we fix the bridges between the people, then we can build infrastructure back…If you have more diverse opinions in the room, you get more diverse solutions.”