Doha, September 09 (QNA) - HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of the Education Above All (EAA) Foundation and Sustainable Development Goals Advocate, attended on Monday the 5th Observance of the International Day to Protect Education from Attack (IDPEA) themed "Education in Peril: The Human Cost of War", at the Qatar National Convention Center .

The celebration featured participation from global state leaders, SDG advocates, UN dignitaries, and civil society.

Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser attended a high-level panel discussion that gathered esteemed panelists including HE Prime Minister of the Republic of Yemen, Ahmad Awad bin Mubarak; HE First Lady of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Fatima Maada Bio; HE First Lady of The Gambia, Fatoumatta Bah-Barrow; HE Spouse of the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dr. Wan Azizah binti Wan Ismail; HE First Lady of the Federative Republic of Brazil, Rosangela Lula da Silva; HE Spouse of the Chairman of the Bosnia and Herzegovina presidential Council, Mirela Becirovic; HE First Lady of the Republic of Cyprus, Philippa Karsera-Christodoulides; HE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the State of Palestine, Dr. Varsen Aghabekian Shahin; HE Advisor to the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Saida Mirziyoyeva; HE Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Liberia, Sara Beysolow Nyanti; and HE UN SRSG for Children and Armed Conflict, Virginia Gamba.

The participants expressed their gratitude to Her Highness and her great efforts in protecting education in conflict around the world, which extend to more than 25 countries, and her constructive initiatives to provide education and adopt it as a human value, and her prominent role and tireless efforts to build a better future for youth in a world full of challenges.

Each participant reviewed their country's efforts in providing education for youth and children despite the violent events they witnessed, paying tribute to the teachers, students and parents who continue their education despite their low and non-existent salaries, the absence of infrastructure, the long distances and limited access to educational institutions, and the conditions of repeated displacement.

They stressed that education is the biggest key to shaping a better future for society and is the foundation for building a human character because it is the only thing that cannot be taken away and is the backbone of all progress and development.

They stressed that what the world is witnessing requires the presence of leaders who want to spread peace and protect education because the destruction of nations begins with the elimination of their education.

The speakers condemned the demolition of all schools and universities in Gaza, the killing of more than 10,000 children and 400 teachers, and the war of extermination that Palestine is going through, stressing the need to confront the injustice facing children and stop the aggression that is destroying their future and depriving them of their rights and to hold accountable those responsible for these actions.

They also called for the need to provide educational centers in areas of displacement and asylum, provide them with distinguished teachers, integrate children into their new communities, and empower youth to become active citizens, while promoting a culture of peace and dialogue and confronting the effects of violence and conflicts that affect school students.

They stressed the importance of collective action and directing resources to protect children and educational institutions from the effects of conflicts and wars, sending a number of messages to the international community, including the need to restore confidence in international and UN organizations, and that education is a pillar for achieving security, peace, the future, and development, as well as the need to show solidarity with the right to education and take meaningful steps to protect civilian life and prevent the situation from worsening, and urging the international community to stop the aggression and prosecute war criminals and perpetrators.

The session began with a message sent by HE Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, where he stressed that the cost of crises and the harsh consequences suffered by children cannot be calculated, recalling the effects of war on the bodies, minds, and souls of these young children, from killing to sexual rape, to recruitment into wars and displacement, and loss of opportunities.

He explained that education is not a basic human right in itself, but a condition for achieving all human rights, calling on all countries to invest in education, and to spare no effort to protect students and teachers alike, and to punish those responsible for attacks on places of education.

He also urged all countries to adopt the Declaration on the Safety of Schools, and to stand by all efforts to ensure that children continue their education in times of crisis and after the end of the fighting.

The Secretary-General of the United Nations concluded his message urging the protection of education and the basic right to education.

Following the high-level session, EAA's observance of the International Day to Protect Education from Attack featured technical break-out sessions on critical topics such as How Culture Can Bridge Gaps, Mitigating the Human and Financial Toll of Conflict, and Justice and Rule of Law: Rights, Law, and Accountability.

These sessions brought together government representatives from Nigeria, Malaysia, South Africa, Tajikistan, SDG advocates, youth from conflict-affected regions like Gaza, Sudan, and Yemen, and representatives from UNESCO, UNICEF, and OHCHR.

A high-level delegation visited the first Assalam School. Students from conflicted-affected countries whose education has been interrupted are able to continue learning at the school. It is supported by EAA Foundation, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education in Qatar, and other local partners.

In partnership with the Al Fakhoora programme, vocational and entrepreneurship training are offered to older students. Disability accommodations and counselling are provided for the students to ensure their physical and emotional well-being.

Currently, more than 72 million children worldwide are out of school due to conflict, with 53 percent of them being girls and 17 percent facing functional difficulties, while 21 percent have been forcibly displaced. The ongoing attacks on education disrupt learning and have severe short- and long-term consequences for individuals and societies.

Education Above All's five programs globally employ multisectoral approaches, innovation, and partnerships to address various educational barriers, including poverty, gender discrimination, disabilities, and climate change.

To date, EAA Foundation has supported over 19 million children and youth worldwide, achieving an 89.5 percent retention rate and reaffirming education as a universal human right.

The International Day to Protect Education from Attack was established through a resolution spearheaded by the State of Qatar and Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 2020. Supported by 62 countries, the resolution declared 9 September as the UN International Day to Protect Education from Attack, a day dedicated to acknowledging and addressing the global need to safeguard education in conflict zones and against other barriers.

(QNA)