Do the Write Thing Challenge programme honoured by KAF
‘Bid to help create safe, more peaceful society’
WASHINGTON, July 26, (KUNA): The Kuwait America Foundation (KAF) held Tuesday evening a ceremony honoring the “Do the Write Thing Challenge” 2017 National Student Ambassadors program.
Over the 22 years, the “Challenge” has established itself as a successful program aimed at reducing violence in schools and communities across the US. Over two million middle school students have participated in the Challenge since its inception and which works with students in 30 communities.
On this occasion, the Mayor of Washington DC Muriel Bowser told KUNA “we are always very happy when we can get private support for public education in Washington DC.” She added “we are very committed on to making our schools better and making sure our young people have all the skills they need to live a great life,” saying “we are grateful for the Kuwait Foundation for supporting this event.”
As for her message to the young students, Bowser said “I would just tell them that a lot of people come together to support them.
We have high expectations for what they do and they make a lot of decisions in their youth that will determine the opportunities as they become adults,” so the Challenge “puts the right focus on them.”
On his part, KAF Chairman Dr Hassan Al-Ebraheem told KUNA that almost 50 students made it this year out of about 75,000 papers submitted of students who have accepted the “Challenge” by making a written personal commitment not to engage in violence and by preparing writings on the causes and solutions to violence.
He emphasized the “tremendous” change this Challenge is making year after year, saying “we could see how much the program is spreading all over the US.”
He added “we see the impact the Challenge is making, which is able to reach almost two million students so we are very proud and we are at it.”
“To see the young kids expressing themselves about violence and what they can do about it is really an amazing thing,” he remarked. He indicated that students would be visiting on Wednesday the Library of Congress to submit the book of their essays. This year’s edition is dedicated to “Refugees and Displaced Persons Across the World ... who have shown resilience and courage in facing violence and events beyond their control and have taught us that wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for kindness.”
The book will be placed in the Library of Congress to recognize the student ambassadors and all other students they represent who have accepted the Challenge to do something to help create safer, more peaceful society.
Dr Al-Ibrahim concluded saying “I give them (the students) the message of friendship, cooperation, tolerance and kindness.” The KAF was founded in 1991 with its core mission, inspired by Kuwait’s liberation by allied coalition forces in the Gulf war, to express gratitude for American sacrifice and to strengthen ties between the people of the US and Kuwait.
KAF has successfully, since its inception, focused its resources on educational and cultural exchange programs for youth and disadvantaged persons, founding and sponsoring the “Do the Write Thing Challenge.”