In addition to these coordinated initiatives in the fields of education, the State of Qatar is making international efforts to protect education in areas of conflict through continuously highlighting the importance of sparing education the scourge of conflict in the world, which received a great response from the international community.

This was clear in the response of the United Nations General Assembly, which adopted in its 74th session, the draft submitted by the State of Qatar to establish the International Day to Protect Education from Attack in 2019, which the world celebrates on September 9 every year. Qatar has also been a major supporter of the Safe Schools Declaration since its launch in 2015.

In this context, Leena Al Derham pointed out that EAA is a pioneer in the global movement to stop attacks on education. It works through the ‘Protect Education in Insecurity and Conflict’ to protect and preserve education from attacks in times of conflict as part of human rights, with a focus on marginalized communities and those affected by conflicts.

She referred to the Foundation launching, in cooperation with its partners, the Track Attacks on Education (TRACE) Data Portal to protect education during conflicts, pointing out that with the existence of this portal, the world is now close to holding those who attack education accountable for their actions.

She indicated that all this comes after years of calls, which also led to the announcement of the International Day to Protect Education from Attacks and the unanimous issuance of United Nations Resolution No. 2601, which was adopted in 2021 and calls on states to do their part to help prevent attacks on education and empower youth with education, skills and values of good citizenship.

In the context of her interest in young people, Al Derham mentioned in her interview with QNA that the Foundation seeks, through a wide range of programs and initiatives, to enhance their capabilities and qualify them to deal with, respond to and recover from humanitarian crises, while paying particular attention to ensuring that marginalized students have access to higher education through Al Fakhoora’s programme, as it provides scholarships for refugees, displaced persons, and youth of host communities in the Middle East and North Africa region and beyond. The number of scholarships in exceeded more than 10,000.

Additionally, the Reach Out To Asia (ROTA) Program is one of the programs of EAA that aims to direct efforts towards areas in need, in order to build a world in which young people feel a sense of belonging, and are empowered to increase their knowledge and skills.

Al Derham added that the ROTA program focuses on supporting young people in the field of green skills to enhance their role in facing global challenges, especially climate change, pointing out that the program was able to train more than 60,000 young men and women in several regions, including communities suffering from the effects of conflict and violence.

In a related context, she noted that support for refugees and immigrants was not focused on abroad, as the EAA is working at home to ensure that all children residing inside the State of Qatar have access to fair education opportunities, through the Together project launched by the Foundation, which works in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education and in partnership with local supporters.

She also mentioned that the Foundation has also established an academic bridge within the Global Innovation Development program, which aims to enhance practical skills in reading, writing and arithmetic in eight different languages, for out-of-school children between the ages of 4 and 17.

She explained that the design of this program is based on the idea of self-learning. It enables children to continue their basic or vocational education, allowing them to become active and productive individuals, capable of making a positive change in their communities.

More than 800,000 people have benefited from the free electronic educational resources bank, as it has been downloaded in more than 150 countries around the world, Al Derham said.

Regarding educational and development initiatives of the State of Qatar, Silatech plays a prominent and distinguished role in providing dignified and sustainable livelihoods, especially in marginalized communities, and in improving the quality of life for young men and women in countries around the world, especially in the Middle East and North Africa region.

Since its inception in 2008, the Foundation has been working to connect young people with job opportunities and economic empowerment, especially those affected by conflicts and crises such as refugees, the displaced and the marginalized, through two main programs: the Employment Program and the Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Development Program.

Silatech, in cooperation with its partners, has succeeded in the context of Qatar’s development initiatives worldwide and within its stated goals in linking about two million young men and women with jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities in 20 countries. It is in the process of expanding in new countries and regions in an effort to reach 5 million young men and women in order to connect them with jobs and entrepreneurship opportunities.

The Foundation made many partnerships with international institutions and organizations to achieve it goals. In Yemen, it launched its second phase of partnership with the European Union to provide job opportunities and a source of income for more than 50,000 young men and women after the success of the first phase to support more than 38,000 young people with various projects that respond to the needs of young people and meet the requirements of the local community.

It also entered into a partnership with the Save the Children organization to implement the Youth Empowerment in Somalia project, which aims to provide ten thousand young men and women with the technical skills necessary for them and link them to the labor market to compete in it.

In this regard, Partnerships and Resource Mobilization Officer at Silatech Foundation Fahd Abdullah Malak said, in an exclusive statement to QNA, that the Foundation believes that the path to achieving sustainable and comprehensive development begins with young people, and that they need skills, resources and opportunities that enhance their potential and achieve their ambitions. He added that the Foundation seeks, through its partnerships with a variety of international and regional bodies, to facilitate access to these needs to ensure a bright future by supporting them with economic opportunities to achieve their dreams.

He added that they are proud to be part of the initiatives aimed at creating a better world, adding that they look forward to expanding their efforts to help more young people around the world.

In conclusion, the State of Qatar has become, through these institutions and initiatives, a leading country in its UN and international partnerships to support sustainable development issues, as well as support poor and needy countries and enhance their educational and development plans.

Qatar’s efforts did not stop at this point, as it led many vital international conferences and events, which effectively contributed to finding solutions and fulfilling global commitments and policies in the fields of education and development, in addition to hosting many representative offices of United Nations agencies concerned with these areas.

Source: Qatar News Agency