Minister of Foreign Affairs: His Highness directives that education should be given priority in aid provided by Qatar

 His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, said that the high directives of His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of the country, “may God protect him”, affirms that financing education in emergency situations has priority in development assistance provided by Qatar.
This came during His Excellency’s speech today at the high-level event to mark the International Day for the Protection of Education from Attacks, which was organized by the Education Above All Foundation in the State of Qatar and the UNICEF and UNESCO, via video call.
His Excellency said: “We are pleased and proud that the State of Qatar, in partnership with UNESCO, UNICEF and the Education Above All Foundation, is hosting this high-level event, which is held for the first time, to mark the International Day for the Protection of Education from Attacks and with the generous participation of Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairman of the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, Chairman of the Education Above All Foundation, His Excellency Mr. António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, HE Ambassador Professor Tijani Muhammad Bundy, President of the seventy-fourth session of the General Assembly, and a distinguished elite of personalities known for their contributions Humanity. “
He added, “We are meeting today to follow up on the implementation of General Assembly Resolution A / 74/275, presented by the State of Qatar, by declaring September 9 the International Day for the Protection of Education from Attacks. This initiative, like other humanitarian and development initiatives of great impact in various regions of the world. “
He explained that Her Highness has taken an international leadership role to achieve the United Nations sustainable development goals, and that it continues its valuable and acclaimed efforts to protect and provide quality education around the world to the most marginalized children, and to ensure their ability to go to school in a safe and sound environment.
His Excellency stressed that the importance of holding this event at this time lies in the fact that it coincides with the exceptional and painful circumstances resulting from the Corona pandemic (Covid-19), which affects more than 75 million children and young people in urgent need of receiving educational support in 35 countries affected by crises. He said, “The event also represents a message from this high-ranking elite that education can be an effective and influential tool to bring about positive transformations in societies, and make crises an opportunity to enhance cooperation and synergy, in the interest of all, and create a world of peace, prosperity and human dignity.”
His Excellency pointed out that this high-profile event represents an important occasion to call for an end to deliberate attacks targeting education and the armed violence suffered by students, teachers, schools and other educational institutions around the world, without regard to the devastating effects of those attacks on the hopes and aspirations of children and youth and their negative effects on sustainable development. Peace and human rights.
He said that the State of Qatar hopes that students and youth will be guided on this day, and that they use it to raise awareness and pressure to end attacks on educational institutions and protect them, and to realize the dreams of children and youth as builders of the future and the hope of peoples and humanity.
He believed that this event represents an important message that education can be an effective and influential tool to bring about positive transformations in societies, and make crises an opportunity to enhance cooperation and synergy, in the interest of all, and create a world where peace, prosperity and human dignity prevail.
His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani stated that, in line with the commitment of the State of Qatar and its partnership with the international community to achieve peace, development and the protection of human rights, it was keen to cooperate and work with partners within the framework of the United Nations and outside it to provide the appropriate environment to enable children and youth to obtain quality education.
In this context, His Excellency affirmed that the State of Qatar spares no effort in exerting the necessary efforts to settle disputes by peaceful means, in order to avoid the destructive effects of these conflicts on various aspects of life, especially vulnerable groups, especially children and youth, pointing out, His Excellency, that the directives The Royal Highness, the Emir of the country, “may God protect him,” affirms that financing education in emergency situations has priority in development assistance provided by the State of Qatar.
He also indicated that millions of out-of-school children in more than 78 countries have benefited from the initiatives of the State of Qatar through the Education Above All Foundation and its partners and with the support of the Qatar Fund for Development, in addition to many initiatives and programs.
His Excellency stressed that education is a major and effective tool for development and prosperity, and for rebuilding economies and societies torn apart by conflicts and crises, and he said that the Corona pandemic (Covid 19) showed the inequality existing in the structure of the education field in some countries, and the urgent need to address it, as children Young people are the most affected by this pandemic.
The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs stressed that education is at the forefront of Qatar’s policy, and said: “The State of Qatar will continue its commitment to make education available to millions of disadvantaged children, and to protect educational institutions.”