this is a la Poste area it’s also known as shut up in Arabic this photo was
as shut up in Arabic this photo was
as shut up in Arabic this photo was taken February 19 2013
taken February 19 2013
taken February 19 2013 a couple of weeks before this photo was
a couple of weeks before this photo was
a couple of weeks before this photo was taken I was on the southern border of
taken I was on the southern border of
taken I was on the southern border of Syria I was working in a hospital as a
Syria I was working in a hospital as a
Syria I was working in a hospital as a nurse I had never nursed before and one
nurse I had never nursed before and one
nurse I had never nursed before and one of the first patients I had had a lot of
of the first patients I had had a lot of
of the first patients I had had a lot of shrapnel he had an explosive bullet that
shrapnel he had an explosive bullet that
shrapnel he had an explosive bullet that had taken apart his left leg and pelvic
had taken apart his left leg and pelvic
had taken apart his left leg and pelvic region I’m sorry I sometimes don’t
region I’m sorry I sometimes don’t
region I’m sorry I sometimes don’t remember what it smelled like and he
remember what it smelled like and he
remember what it smelled like and he comes back to me it smells like burning
comes back to me it smells like burning
comes back to me it smells like burning flesh that that’s a humanitarian
flesh that that’s a humanitarian
flesh that that’s a humanitarian disaster right everybody would agree on
disaster right everybody would agree on
disaster right everybody would agree on that it’s also a humanitarian disaster
that it’s also a humanitarian disaster
that it’s also a humanitarian disaster when most of the country looks like this
when most of the country looks like this
when most of the country looks like this today from the northern parts of Syria
today from the northern parts of Syria
today from the northern parts of Syria to the southern when Syria is a textbook
to the southern when Syria is a textbook
to the southern when Syria is a textbook example of chemical weapons attacks in
example of chemical weapons attacks in
example of chemical weapons attacks in the 21st century when the majority of
the 21st century when the majority of
the 21st century when the majority of people when you ask them about Syria the
people when you ask them about Syria the
people when you ask them about Syria the first thing they tell you is that’s
first thing they tell you is that’s
first thing they tell you is that’s where Isis is right and they forgot that
where Isis is right and they forgot that
where Isis is right and they forgot that that’s also where all these people are
that’s also where all these people are
that’s also where all these people are civilians normal people as one student
civilians normal people as one student
civilians normal people as one student mentioned it’s easy to forget that
mentioned it’s easy to forget that
mentioned it’s easy to forget that there’s normal people going about their
there’s normal people going about their
there’s normal people going about their lives there
lives there
lives there Syria now entered its seventh year of
Syria now entered its seventh year of
Syria now entered its seventh year of war it has officially surpassed world
war it has officially surpassed world
war it has officially surpassed world war two it’s also the worst man-made
war two it’s also the worst man-made
war two it’s also the worst man-made human disaster since World War two I
human disaster since World War two I
human disaster since World War two I preface this because I want you to
preface this because I want you to
preface this because I want you to understand that what a humanitarian
understand that what a humanitarian
understand that what a humanitarian disaster means is very important right
disaster means is very important right
disaster means is very important right to identify one and that’s my job I work
to identify one and that’s my job I work
to identify one and that’s my job I work for a non-profit promise relief in human
for a non-profit promise relief in human
for a non-profit promise relief in human development I’ve worked with them for
development I’ve worked with them for
development I’ve worked with them for over seven years now I’ve also gone to
over seven years now I’ve also gone to
over seven years now I’ve also gone to the mountains of Lebanon on the border
the mountains of Lebanon on the border
the mountains of Lebanon on the border of Syria where it’s a cross from homes
of Syria where it’s a cross from homes
of Syria where it’s a cross from homes where you’ll regularly have clashes
where you’ll regularly have clashes
where you’ll regularly have clashes between the Lebanese army and Isis or
between the Lebanese army and Isis or
between the Lebanese army and Isis or other extremist figures across the
other extremist figures across the
other extremist figures across the border and no one wants to go there NGOs
border and no one wants to go there NGOs
border and no one wants to go there NGOs don’t want to go there and so I’ll go
don’t want to go there and so I’ll go
don’t want to go there and so I’ll go there because people are freezing to
there because people are freezing to
there because people are freezing to death because there’s thousands of
death because there’s thousands of
death because there’s thousands of refugees and they don’t have resources
refugees and they don’t have resources
refugees and they don’t have resources and so I’ve worked on projects where we
and so I’ve worked on projects where we
and so I’ve worked on projects where we take medical supplies insulin where
take medical supplies insulin where
take medical supplies insulin where we’ll take winter jackets and gloves and
we’ll take winter jackets and gloves and
we’ll take winter jackets and gloves and space heaters where we’ll take food
space heaters where we’ll take food
space heaters where we’ll take food we’ll open up a warehouse and start
we’ll open up a warehouse and start
we’ll open up a warehouse and start packaging food for people and delivering
packaging food for people and delivering
packaging food for people and delivering it to them personally to make sure that
it to them personally to make sure that
it to them personally to make sure that the hungry eat
the hungry eat
the hungry eat and yet when I tell people the real
and yet when I tell people the real
and yet when I tell people the real solution is this its libraries its
solution is this its libraries its
solution is this its libraries its schools its books when I tell them this
schools its books when I tell them this
schools its books when I tell them this is what we need in Syria they look at me
is what we need in Syria they look at me
is what we need in Syria they look at me skeptically as if I don’t know what a
skeptically as if I don’t know what a
skeptically as if I don’t know what a human disaster looks like or a human
human disaster looks like or a human
human disaster looks like or a human crisis I understand what this looks like
crisis I understand what this looks like
crisis I understand what this looks like because I’m sorry this is where my
because I’m sorry this is where my
because I’m sorry this is where my family lives right
family lives right
family lives right they still live this is where they fled
they still live this is where they fled
they still live this is where they fled from this is a very familiar image in
from this is a very familiar image in
from this is a very familiar image in our families group chat this is the
our families group chat this is the
our families group chat this is the solution because it is a crisis when the
solution because it is a crisis when the
solution because it is a crisis when the majority of students and children and
majority of students and children and
majority of students and children and young adults are not in school
young adults are not in school
young adults are not in school why because you get you you got images
why because you get you you got images
why because you get you you got images like seven-year-old Ahmed which was the
like seven-year-old Ahmed which was the
like seven-year-old Ahmed which was the event immediately before you might have
event immediately before you might have
event immediately before you might have seen that picture because it’s been
seen that picture because it’s been
seen that picture because it’s been plastered across magazines and
plastered across magazines and
plastered across magazines and newspapers in the United States because
newspapers in the United States because
newspapers in the United States because people find this shocking this is a
people find this shocking this is a
people find this shocking this is a seven-year-old child holding an ak-47
seven-year-old child holding an ak-47
seven-year-old child holding an ak-47 Manning a barricade in the streets of
Manning a barricade in the streets of
Manning a barricade in the streets of Aleppo smoking a cigarette looking like
Aleppo smoking a cigarette looking like
Aleppo smoking a cigarette looking like he’s probably 50 years older than he
he’s probably 50 years older than he
he’s probably 50 years older than he really is seven years old I have a
really is seven years old I have a
really is seven years old I have a seven-year-old brother right I get upset
seven-year-old brother right I get upset
seven-year-old brother right I get upset if he plays call of duty this is a human
if he plays call of duty this is a human
if he plays call of duty this is a human crisis because Ahmed should be in school
crisis because Ahmed should be in school
crisis because Ahmed should be in school he should be in a classroom and you know
he should be in a classroom and you know
he should be in a classroom and you know what you need for a classroom you need
what you need for a classroom you need
what you need for a classroom you need maybe a few books and a dedicated
maybe a few books and a dedicated
maybe a few books and a dedicated teacher and teachers in Syria are doing
teacher and teachers in Syria are doing
teacher and teachers in Syria are doing that why because kids who aren’t in
that why because kids who aren’t in
that why because kids who aren’t in school are more likely to be trafficked
school are more likely to be trafficked
school are more likely to be trafficked more likely to be exploited more likely
more likely to be exploited more likely
more likely to be exploited more likely to be turned into child labor and
to be turned into child labor and
to be turned into child labor and they’re more likely to be recruited for
they’re more likely to be recruited for
they’re more likely to be recruited for armed groups so if you care about
armed groups so if you care about
armed groups so if you care about national security and counterterrorism
national security and counterterrorism
national security and counterterrorism you should care that most kids are
you should care that most kids are
you should care that most kids are outside of school you should care the
outside of school you should care the
outside of school you should care the fact that most young adults have no
fact that most young adults have no
fact that most young adults have no critical thinking skills that matters if
critical thinking skills that matters if
critical thinking skills that matters if you care about young men joining
you care about young men joining
you care about young men joining extremist forces because they need a
extremist forces because they need a
extremist forces because they need a salary to support their families
salary to support their families
salary to support their families you should be supporting projects to get
you should be supporting projects to get
you should be supporting projects to get them into colleges because they will
them into colleges because they will
them into colleges because they will they’ll go I know that because we have
they’ll go I know that because we have
they’ll go I know that because we have students I know personally students that
students I know personally students that
students I know personally students that left whatever Brigade that they were
left whatever Brigade that they were
left whatever Brigade that they were fighting for because they had a secure
fighting for because they had a secure
fighting for because they had a secure future and they worked with us and
future and they worked with us and
future and they worked with us and studied for two years and we had 250
studied for two years and we had 250
studied for two years and we had 250 students graduate this past October and
students graduate this past October and
students graduate this past October and now they’re teaching in local elementary
now they’re teaching in local elementary
now they’re teaching in local elementary middle schools because no one here is 13
middle schools because no one here is 13
middle schools because no one here is 13 years old she’s from Raqqa in Syria
years old she’s from Raqqa in Syria
years old she’s from Raqqa in Syria she’s married to a 27 year old in
she’s married to a 27 year old in
she’s married to a 27 year old in Lebanon as a refugee and her parents
Lebanon as a refugee and her parents
Lebanon as a refugee and her parents will say we would not have married her
will say we would not have married her
will say we would not have married her off had we been able to economically
off had we been able to economically
off had we been able to economically provide and protect her because of the
provide and protect her because of the
provide and protect her because of the fact that 47% of Syrian women who are
fact that 47% of Syrian women who are
fact that 47% of Syrian women who are married were child brides why because
married were child brides why because
married were child brides why because not being in school and not working
not being in school and not working
not being in school and not working leaves you as a burden and unfortunately
leaves you as a burden and unfortunately
leaves you as a burden and unfortunately in war you need to survive so if you
in war you need to survive so if you
in war you need to survive so if you care about the fact that young girls are
care about the fact that young girls are
care about the fact that young girls are being married off and that the only
being married off and that the only
being married off and that the only statistically statistically significant
statistically statistically significant
statistically statistically significant thing right that makes a difference in a
thing right that makes a difference in a
thing right that makes a difference in a woman’s life that she lives longer as a
woman’s life that she lives longer as a
woman’s life that she lives longer as a mother that her children live longer
mother that her children live longer
mother that her children live longer that her children go to school and that
that her children go to school and that
that her children go to school and that she’s not a victim of sexual domestic
she’s not a victim of sexual domestic
she’s not a victim of sexual domestic abuse is if she goes to school but
abuse is if she goes to school but
abuse is if she goes to school but that’s hard to believe that’s where I
that’s hard to believe that’s where I
that’s hard to believe that’s where I know it should be because she’s really
know it should be because she’s really
know it should be because she’s really good at math she should be in a
good at math she should be in a
good at math she should be in a classroom somewhere this is Miriam when
classroom somewhere this is Miriam when
classroom somewhere this is Miriam when people tell me no what he really need is
people tell me no what he really need is
people tell me no what he really need is more insulin and mobile clinics and
more insulin and mobile clinics and
more insulin and mobile clinics and health care we have a health care
health care we have a health care
health care we have a health care problem a crisis right we don’t have
problem a crisis right we don’t have
problem a crisis right we don’t have enough doctors and nurses that’s why we
enough doctors and nurses that’s why we
enough doctors and nurses that’s why we want people like you to come and help
want people like you to come and help
want people like you to come and help nurse I tell them no you don’t cuz you
nurse I tell them no you don’t cuz you
nurse I tell them no you don’t cuz you have girls like Miriam who is a medical
have girls like Miriam who is a medical
have girls like Miriam who is a medical student and the only reason she stopped
student and the only reason she stopped
student and the only reason she stopped her medical studies is because she
her medical studies is because she
her medical studies is because she couldn’t get the campus safely but if
couldn’t get the campus safely but if
couldn’t get the campus safely but if you put her back in school in a few
you put her back in school in a few
you put her back in school in a few years you have a doctor or a nurse or a
years you have a doctor or a nurse or a
years you have a doctor or a nurse or a pharmacist and she wants to go back to
pharmacist and she wants to go back to
pharmacist and she wants to go back to school and so she joined the Medical
school and so she joined the Medical
school and so she joined the Medical Sciences program and she wants to study
Sciences program and she wants to study
Sciences program and she wants to study public health Syria’s war has been going
public health Syria’s war has been going
public health Syria’s war has been going on for seven years plus now the average
on for seven years plus now the average
on for seven years plus now the average conflict civil war takes 17 years this
conflict civil war takes 17 years this
conflict civil war takes 17 years this is an emergency if you don’t have
is an emergency if you don’t have
is an emergency if you don’t have doctors and nurses but in the time and
doctors and nurses but in the time and
doctors and nurses but in the time and the money that we’ve spent sending
the money that we’ve spent sending
the money that we’ve spent sending people or doctors from America and
people or doctors from America and
people or doctors from America and Europe on to year or two or sorry
Europe on to year or two or sorry
Europe on to year or two or sorry two-week mission trips we could have
two-week mission trips we could have
two-week mission trips we could have educated 200 students
educated 200 students
educated 200 students this was our class of graduates these
this was our class of graduates these
this was our class of graduates these are the women who graduated and who will
are the women who graduated and who will
are the women who graduated and who will now be teaching as are these young men
now be teaching as are these young men
now be teaching as are these young men and this is Ahmed one of our students
and this is Ahmed one of our students
and this is Ahmed one of our students he’s from Helms he was displaced to the
he’s from Helms he was displaced to the
he’s from Helms he was displaced to the southern province where he attends
southern province where he attends
southern province where he attends college so if you care about recruitment
college so if you care about recruitment
college so if you care about recruitment for extremist organizations or military
for extremist organizations or military
for extremist organizations or military organizations if you care about young
organizations if you care about young
organizations if you care about young women’s futures and their health if you
women’s futures and their health if you
women’s futures and their health if you care about the medical crisis then kids
care about the medical crisis then kids
care about the medical crisis then kids not being in school is a crisis that is
not being in school is a crisis that is
not being in school is a crisis that is an emergency that we have to address the
an emergency that we have to address the
an emergency that we have to address the fact that less than 2% of humanitarian
fact that less than 2% of humanitarian
fact that less than 2% of humanitarian aid goes to education tells us something
aid goes to education tells us something
aid goes to education tells us something right because this isn’t considered a
right because this isn’t considered a
right because this isn’t considered a humanitarian response and I know this
humanitarian response and I know this
humanitarian response and I know this because I’ve had these conversations
because I’ve had these conversations
because I’ve had these conversations I’ll come back from the refugee camps
I’ll come back from the refugee camps
I’ll come back from the refugee camps I’ll come back from working with people
I’ll come back from working with people
I’ll come back from working with people and I’ll come to the United States and
and I’ll come to the United States and
and I’ll come to the United States and talk to organizations I’ll go to Capitol
talk to organizations I’ll go to Capitol
talk to organizations I’ll go to Capitol Hill I’ll draw in political action
Hill I’ll draw in political action
Hill I’ll draw in political action committees and I tell people we really
committees and I tell people we really
committees and I tell people we really need to be supporting education projects
need to be supporting education projects
need to be supporting education projects in Syria and you know what they tell me
in Syria and you know what they tell me
in Syria and you know what they tell me they tell me no no we’re interested in
they tell me no no we’re interested in
they tell me no no we’re interested in like emergency humanitarian things like
like emergency humanitarian things like
like emergency humanitarian things like food and water and medical care that’s
food and water and medical care that’s
food and water and medical care that’s that’s development work education we’ll
that’s development work education we’ll
that’s development work education we’ll have to wait till after the war probably
have to wait till after the war probably
have to wait till after the war probably around ten years after the war as if we
around ten years after the war as if we
around ten years after the war as if we can afford to wait as if learning is a
can afford to wait as if learning is a
can afford to wait as if learning is a luxury that we can afford to forego
luxury that we can afford to forego
luxury that we can afford to forego right now and the thing is that we can’t
right now and the thing is that we can’t
right now and the thing is that we can’t wait if you think that human beings can
wait if you think that human beings can
wait if you think that human beings can live on food and water alone you’re
live on food and water alone you’re
live on food and water alone you’re mistaken
mistaken
mistaken walk into any refugee camp and you’ll be
walk into any refugee camp and you’ll be
walk into any refugee camp and you’ll be hoarded by mothers who are telling you
hoarded by mothers who are telling you
hoarded by mothers who are telling you how can I get my kid into one of these
how can I get my kid into one of these
how can I get my kid into one of these classes or into a school or secure them
classes or into a school or secure them
classes or into a school or secure them a future talk to any of these patients
a future talk to any of these patients
a future talk to any of these patients any of these young men and they’ll tell
any of these young men and they’ll tell
any of these young men and they’ll tell you if I had an option at a degree an
you if I had an option at a degree an
you if I had an option at a degree an online degree any sort of degree I would
online degree any sort of degree I would
online degree any sort of degree I would jump at it in a moment
jump at it in a moment
jump at it in a moment because humans need more than water and
because humans need more than water and
because humans need more than water and food to survive more than that to live
food to survive more than that to live
food to survive more than that to live they need something to live for
they need something to live for
they need something to live for so we need to stop thinking about
so we need to stop thinking about
so we need to stop thinking about education as some sort of a development
education as some sort of a development
education as some sort of a development as some sort of a luxury thing it’s a
as some sort of a luxury thing it’s a
as some sort of a luxury thing it’s a humanitarian crisis when kids are in
humanitarian crisis when kids are in
humanitarian crisis when kids are in school and it can’t wait because
school and it can’t wait because
school and it can’t wait because learning is not a luxury this is a
learning is not a luxury this is a
learning is not a luxury this is a conversation that needs to change thank
conversation that needs to change thank
conversation that needs to change thank you
you
you [Applause]
”
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