Georgetown University postponed a university-sponsored spring break trip to Doha, Qatar, in response to geopolitical tensions in the region, administrators informed students Feb. 25.
The postponement comes amid U.S. military buildup in the Middle East and upcoming talks between the United States and Iran over Iran’s nuclear program. Georgetown postponed a separate spring break academic trip to Colombia in an email to participating students Jan. 6, citing the U.S. military offensive in Venezuela.
Chirin Dirani (GRD ’20, ’22, ’28), a School of Foreign Service (SFS) advising dean and the associate director of the school’s global experiences program, said the trip to Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) was postponed in consultation with International SOS (ISOS), the university’s international travel security services provider.
“After careful consideration and in close consultation with the University’s Leadership, ISOS and our colleagues at GU-Q, the University has decided to postpone the program to a later date (anticipated for late May or early June),” Dirani wrote in the email. “This decision is primarily tied to the current geopolitical climate and concerns about potential regional airspace disruptions that could affect reliable travel and timely return to campus.”
Last June, the United States launched airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities. Last month, Iran closed its airspace for multiple hours over concerns that the United States could carry out military strikes. All U.S. commercial flights are currently prohibited from flying through Iranian airspace, and some other countries, including Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom, have put in place similar restrictions or recommendations over fear of military action.
Diriani added that the decision was made to prioritize student safety when traveling.
“To be clear, this decision is not based on safety concerns in or around Doha,” Diriani wrote. “Rather, our main responsibility is to ensure that you can travel smoothly and return in time to complete the spring semester without academic disruption.”
