QF leads efforts for Palestine children as Int'l Day to Protect Education from Attack marked

The 5th Observance of the UN International Day to Protect Education from Attack will be held today (Monday), with high-level panel discussions and keynote addresses by various dignitaries at Qatar National Convention Centre.

The International Day to Protect Education from Attack was established through a resolution spearheaded by Qatar and Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser at the United Nations General Assembly which declared September 9 as the UN International Day to Protect Education from Attack.

Meanwhile, Qatar Foundation (QF) is gearing up its efforts to contribute to providing education to millions of children who are not in schools around the world. Based on its belief that education remains the beacon of hope for future generations, a number of volunteers are joining efforts to provide education to Palestinian children evacuated from Gaza to Qatar to receive medical treatment.

Hadeel al-Sayed, a teacher at Qatar Academy Sidra, part of QF’s Pre-University Education didn’t think twice when given the opportunity to volunteer and extend a helping hand.

She says: “Education is a strong tool for empowerment and recovery. It gives evacuees a sense of normalcy, structure and hope for the future. Access to education opens doors to opportunities, helping them rebuild their lives, and pursue their aspirations despite the challenges they have faced.”

Al-Sayed teaches beginner-level English skills to the evacuated Palestinian children, ensuring to create a welcoming and inclusive environment that caters to their individual levels, encourages them to support one another, and addresses their emotional and psychological needs.

For Muna al-Musalamani, a recent graduate of Northwestern University in Qatar, volunteering to teach Palestinian evacuees was a way to convey her humanitarian message.

She says: “This community is beautiful because it combines people that come from different ages and experiences; but they all share one thing – hope. Hope is what drives them; it pushes them to limits I have never seen before. When you mix hope with access to education, you create such a powerful scenario.”

Muna uses writing as a means to help learners address their psychological needs. "I ask each individual to write a story about themselves in a few sentences and share it with others. This enhances their communication with each other because they share similar stories."

Ibrahim Abdelhadi, a Palestinian high school student, attended the classes provided by the volunteers and sees education as a source of hope and drive to move forward. For Abdelhadi, it is the means to build societies and a tool that enables individuals to face challenges, no matter how difficult.

Offering further support to Palestinian evacuee students in Qatar, Qatar Career Development Centre (QCDC) is giving them access to its programmes and resources, ensuring they have the tools to build a brighter future.

During QCDC’s “My Career My Future” 2024 programme, 20 Gaza evacuee students participated in tailored hands-on experiences and job shadowing opportunities in various companies in Qatar.

QCDC’s director, Abdulla Ahmed al-Mansoori noted: "At QCDC, we are committed to empowering Gaza evacuee students, as well as all students in Qatar who are looking for better opportunities for their educational pursuits. We provide them with the tools and career guidance needed to build their future and pursue their dreams despite the adversities they have faced.”

Education in Palestine is not just a basic right but a lifeline and the foundation of resilience in the face of growing challenges. Palestine is among the countries with the lowest illiteracy rates globally with an illiteracy rate of only 2.3% among individuals aged 15 and above, according to figures from the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics.