October 30th, 2014: Students from Canadian University Dubai (CUD) have taken part in a regional conference organized by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHRC) under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah.
Samuel Ajayi and Omar Zain were among a delegation of students who attended the first regional gathering dedicated to the protection of refugee children and adolescents. The conference brought together leaders, policy makers, donors and high profile individuals to raise awareness of the ongoing crisis and consider how different stakeholder groups can help.
Among the international dignitaries that came together to discuss the situation were Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan; the UN Special Envoy on Global Education, Right Honorable Gordon Brown; and the UN Youth Envoy, Ahmed Alhendawi.
One of the main objectives of the event was to expose young people in the region to the issues and challenges of child and adolescent displacement and highlight it as a concern for today's youth. Samuel and Omar attended the conference as student delegates, to increase their own awareness of the situation and carry the message back to the wider youth community.
Samuel said, "I was genuinely shocked to hear that 2.4 million young people have been displaced in the region - a number that could be the population of a country in itself. We also learnt about the psychological impact that displacement has on these individuals and how emotional support is as important as financial aid."
A Public Relations student and member of the CUD Student Council, Samuel is keen to communicate and raise awareness of the issue among the wider student body.
"Young people can help by providing a peer support network that focusses on the emotional wellbeing of refugee children and adolescents. This kind of intervention is very important to mitigate any negative actions that the trauma of displacement might bring about among the victims of such circumstances" he concluded.
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