Activities
15. June 2010
SAVE Yemen: Students Against Violent Extremism!
Student Art Workshops in Sana'a
SAVE Yemen and Raba'a Al-Adawia School organized a student workshop for girls from different grades called “Me… Against Violent Extremism.” In the workshops, the girls used art to express their feelings about terrorism and extremism.
SAVE Yemen trainers Fatima Al-Zuhairy, principal of Raba’a Al-Adawia; Noor Baabad, a Minister in the Department of Social Affairs; and Fahmia Al-Fotih’, SAVE Yemen Coordinator, facilitated the workshop and observed the students’ outcomes.
Ms. Al-Zuhairy opened the workshops by inviting students to engage in a dialogue about violent extremism with her. This exercise was intended to measure the students' level of understanding about these issues. She also discussed with them the negative impact of terrorist activities on their personal lives, communities, and country. The students discussed with her the importance of their roles in building peace and rejecting intolerance as Yemen’s future mothers and leaders.
Ms. Baabad engaged with the students about the important roles that young people can play in developing their countries. She emphasized that development cannot be achieved without peace and tolerance of other cultures.
Ms. Al-Fotih’ helped facilitate the workshop and stressed that students' participation in rejecting violent extremism does not stop when school is over or workshops are finished; rather, they can bring the lessons they learn about violent extremism home with them to their families and communities.
At the end of the workshop, almost 20 students used illustration to depict their desire for peace and their fears of bombings and insecurity. Some drew a peaceful village of houses demolished by a bomb, while others portrayed suicide bombers destroying lives.
SAVE Yemen is carrying out a wide range of initiatives for students and mothers. Join our newsletter for more updates regarding SAVE Yemen and other SAVE chapters’ activities.
