EAA’s moving exhibition lands at HIA

The Education Above All Foundation’s (EAA) moving exhibition, Reaching 10 Million Out of School Children, has landed at the Hamad International Airport (HIA).The exhibition marks the achievement of securing commitments to enrol 10mn out-of-school children in 50 countries around the world.The exhibition is taking place in the departure’s terminal Concourse C, at HIA until September 23.The travelling exhibition, previously held at the Qatar Academy and the W Doha, showcases the barriers to education that more than 63mn children around the world face, and highlights the work the EAA and its partners are doing to overcome these barriers.Leena al-Derham, senior education specialist at the Educate A Child programme, said: “Bringing this exhibition to Hamad International Airport, helps us reach and engage with people from different walks of life simultaneously.“Everyone has a role to play in the global education crisis, and we want the millions of passengers passing through the airport during this time, to help us raise awareness, learn about the different barriers to education the world’s children are facing and become advocates for the protection of education during times of conflict and insecurity.”The latest installment of the exhibition focuses on the support for refugee and displaced children.The world today is confronted with a refugee crisis, with 68.5mn people forcibly displaced from home.Since the EAA was founded in 2012, it has committed to enrolling more than 1.9mn out-of-school children and refugee and IDP (internally displaced persons) children in 18 countries, partnering with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the UN Children’s Fund (Unicef), the US, the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco), the International Rescue Committee (IRC), the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), and the Save the Children Fund.The exhibition allows visitors to experience the journey of refugee children, highlighting the significant challenges they face on route, and when accessing quality primary education after being uprooted from their homes, families, friends and communities.“With an average of 8,700 passengers per hour passing through the HIA, the airport is a prime platform for engaging local and international communities and encouraging them to actively learn more about this programme,” said HIA vice-president (commercial and marketing) Abdulaziz al-Mass. “We all hold a responsibility to raise awareness around the valuable work and outreach for young children struggling to access primary education.“Education is a powerful instrument that can empower out of school children worldwide and greatly improves their quality of life.”