Working for equal access to education across the globe, Education Above All (EAA) Foundation has done tremendous job in promoting education in war-torn countries, marginalised communities in different parts of the world through practical steps and advocacy.
Education Above All for many years has been raising serious voice for protection of education from attacks particularly during conflicts. Under its mission, EAA is continuously transforming lives through education, empowering the most vulnerable and marginalised populations. The UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have provided EAA with the platform and baseline to do just that, converging capital, infrastructure, information, and environment for a better world with a brighter future. The UN’s declaration of September 9 as an International Day to Protect Education from Attack, a global resolution the EAA proudly joined in May 2020, is one of our many breakthroughs in this direction.
The fifth International Day to Protect Education from Attack (IDPEA) was observed yesterday in Doha, with a global call to safeguard schools and ensure every child has access to a safe learning environment. The event led by H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Education Above All (EAA) Foundation and attended by global leaders, UN dignitaries, and youth advocates.
In her key note speech Sheikha Moza called for renewed global commitment to safeguarding educational spaces. She highlighted the grave reality of destroyed schools and the failure to protect education.
“Education is the vessel that will carry children to that bright future, but attacks on education rip away the vessel, destroying the lives of teachers and students,” said Sheikha Moza, adding, “We – the international community – have failed to protect education and we have failed to protect students.”
Sheikha Moza empahsised that attacks on education are premeditated and particularly in Gaza. “A year has passed, and no students are returning to the classrooms of Gaza. Some have died as martyrs. Some are on sickbeds, their arms or feet amputated. Some await their unknown fate, surrounded by death on every side while hope for peace, justice, and freedom diminishes away,” Sheikha Moza said. A powerful and moving performance by 45 students, including those from Gaza, Sudan, and Qatar, featured a song by Fahad Alhajjaji that addressed the critical importance of safeguarding education during times of crisis. The global leaders at the 5th International Day to Protect Education from Attack ((IDPEA) yesterday in Doha emphasised the urgent need to protect education from conflict.
A high-level panel “Education in Peril: The Human Cost of War” featured several leaders and they insisted that education is the most powerful tool for ensuring a safe and inclusive future with equal opportunities for all children.
