QNA
Doha
HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, chairperson of Education Above All (EAA) Foundation and Sustainable Development Goals Advocate, on Monday attended the 5th Observance of the International Day to Protect Education from Attack (IDPEA) themed ‘Education in Peril: The Human Cost of War’, at the Qatar National Convention Center.
The celebration featured participation from global state leaders, SDG advocates, UN dignitaries and civil society.
Sheikha Moza bint Nasser attended a high-level panel discussion that gathered esteemed panellists, including Prime Minister of Yemen Ahmad Awad bin Mubarak, First Lady of Sierra Leone Fatima Maada Bio, First Lady of The Gambia Fatoumatta Bah-Barrow, Spouse of the Prime Minister of Malaysia Dr Wan Azizah binti Wan Ismail, First Lady of Brazil Rosangela Lula da Silva, Spouse of the Chairman of the Bosnia and Herzegovina presidential Council Mirela Becirovic, First Lady of Cyprus Philippa Karsera-Christodoulides.
Other panellists Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the State of Palestine Dr Varsen Aghabekian Shahin, Advisor to the President of Uzbekistan Saida Mirziyoyeva, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Liberia Sara Beysolow Nyanti; and UN SRSG for Children and Armed Conflict Virginia Gamba.
The participants expressed their gratitude to Sheikha Moza and her great efforts in protecting education in conflict around the world, which extend to more than 25 countries, and her constructive initiatives to provide education and adopt it as a human value, and her prominent role and tireless efforts to build a better future for youth in a world full of challenges.
They stressed that education is the biggest key to shaping a better future for society and is the foundation for building a human character because it is the only thing that cannot be taken away and is the backbone of all progress and development.
The speakers condemned the demolition of all schools and universities in Gaza, the killing of more than 10,000 children and 400 teachers, and the war of extermination that Palestine is going through, stressing the need to confront the injustice facing children and stop the aggression that is destroying their future and depriving them of their rights and to hold accountable those responsible for these actions.
The session began with a message sent by Secretary-General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres, who stressed that the cost of crises and the harsh consequences suffered by children cannot be calculated, recalling the effects of war on the bodies, minds, and souls of these young children, from killing to sexual rape, to recruitment into wars and displacement, and loss of opportunities.
Following the high-level session, EAA’s observance of the International Day to Protect Education from Attack featured technical break-out sessions on critical topics such as How Culture Can Bridge Gaps, Mitigating the Human and Financial Toll of Conflict, and Justice and Rule of Law: Rights, Law, and Accountability. These sessions brought together government representatives from Nigeria, Malaysia, South Africa, Tajikistan, SDG advocates, youth from conflict-affected regions like Gaza, Sudan, and Yemen, and representatives from UNESCO, UNICEF, and OHCHR.
A high-level delegation visited the first Assalam School. Students from conflicted-affected countries whose education has been interrupted are able to continue learning at the school. It is supported by EAA Foundation, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education in Qatar, and other local partners. In partnership with the Al Fakhoora programme, vocational and entrepreneurship training are offered to older students. Disability accommodations and counselling are provided for the students to ensure their physical and emotional well-being.
