Supporting Syria – with the help of Chevening Alumni

At the start of last month, 16 Chevening Alumni from Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Turkey convened in the British Consulate in Istanbul for the Chevening Alumni Regional Conference 2016. The subject of this year’s conference was “Syria and its impact on the region: 5 years into the conflict”, covering important themes such as humanitarian access, refugee host communities and education. Following two packed days, I came away feeling both inspired by the level of expertise held in our Chevening alumni, and humbled by the scale of the challenge facing Syria and the region. It underlined to me once again the importance of this month’s Syria conference in London, where the Prime Minister announced an extra £1.2bn to be spent between 2016 and 2020, taking the UK’s total investment to more than £2.3bn.

This blog also includes contributions from one of our Syrian participants, Muhamad Shabarek and Jordanian participant, Abdelsalam Al-Odat.

Humanitarian imperatives

The Chevening Alumni discussed the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Syria and the need for an increase in advocacy efforts on the key areas, such as ending sieges and increasing access for food and medical supplies. They discussed the increasing strain on neighbouring countries, who are now hosting nearly 5 million refugees. From work permits to refugee perceptions and local perceptions of refugees, all the key issues were debated and probed in small groups. Alongside trying to unpack how best to meet Syrians’ needs, the group also discussed protection issues, including the worrying increase in forced marriages. Each session ended with a list of policy recommendations.

Education

The group also discussed an issue close to their hearts: education. As Chevening Alumni, these scholars knew how life changing access to good educational opportunities can be. The pre-crisis literacy rate in Syria was over 90 percent and spending on education exceeded 5 percent of GDP. Now 3 million children are out of school and 1 in 4 schools in Syria are out of action. One participant highlighted the important work of organizations like Madrasati, a Jordanian NGO providing remedial education in 22 centres across Jordan, including training over 400 teachers and reaching over 15,000 students.

The political track

The alumni also discussed the ongoing Geneva process. The scholars agreed that negotiations will be pivotal in determining the future of Syria, expressing fear of what might happen if talks were to fail completely. The alumni strongly believed that it is only when progress is made that Syrians themselves will start to feel that their dignity is restored. This will be vital in encouraging Syria’s most talented young minds, many of whom have left Syria since 2011, to return voluntarily to rebuild their country when the fighting ends. There was a resounding agreement that this conflict could only be solved through a political transition: there can be no military solution in Syria.

Chevening and Syria’s future

The Chevening programme is a key part of our commitment to a better future for Syria, with many Chevening alumni already working to relieve Syrians’ suffering. The Chevening conference was an important opportunity to engage with scholars from across the region on Syria. The effects of this conflict reverberate around the region and it will continue to be vital to bring regional voices together to discuss the way forward. The conference was also a timely reminder of the value of our Chevening network and a chance to pay tribute to the excellent things they have gone on to achieve.

Finally, to potential future Cheveners, you can visit www.chevening.org to find out more about the application process.

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What follows are contributions from Chevening alumni Muhamad Shabarek and Abdelsalam Al-Odat. Muhamad studied Governance and Policy, graduating from University of Southampton in 2015. Abdelsalam studied Criminology and Criminal Justice, graduating in 2006 from University of Hull.

 An Endless journey…Chevening – Muhamad Shabarek

Unlike what you may think, the journey with Chevening is an endless one. Last fall, when I graduated from my Master programme, my obligations to the Chevening programme ended. However, new ethical and professional commitments were just coming in place. The commitment to contribute back to my home country with things I have gained during my year in the UK and another to build up at the Chevening network, where we together as alumni collaborate on making our world better.

Of course, Chevening is always there, providing us the proper channels to make these commitments achievable, and continuing the amazing journey we have started as scholars some time ago, but continue today as more mature alumni.

In January this year, I was invited to the Chevening Alumni Regional Conference in Istanbul. And considering what is happening in the region, it was no surprise that Syria was on the agenda as a top priority of the talks and the sessions of this conference. For two days I, along with fifteen other Chevening alumni from Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and Syria, had the chance to discuss our opinions on issues like Syrian refugees, education and the regional impact of the Syrian crisis. Moreover, we had the opportunity to build some joint ideas on potential actions to be considered.

While one of the main aims of the conference was about networking between alumni, it was also a fruitful occasion to meet and talk with Chevening officers and FCO teams working in the region. The planning of the plenary sessions and the breakout activities, allowed for some space to engage with one another and be productive.

Furthermore, being in the beloved vivid city of Istanbul had its magical implications too. On the last day, each one of us has left Istanbul with new friends, potential network of opportunities, unforgettable memories, and some personal tasks to take forward. In other words, I would say that the Istanbul conference was a very pleasant stage in my endless journey as a Chevener and I really cannot wait for the next adventure!

Your Chevening fellow,

Muhamad

Chevening conference: a remarkable event to attend – Abdelsalam Al-Odat

The discussions at the conference were helpful and I really enjoyed them. I believe that more attention should be given to strengthening the mechanisms to provide humanitarian aid. This includes developing more efficient ways to deliver aid, as the solution to the crisis could take several years. It is very important to protect women, children and elderly people and to provide them with proper shelter, health services and education. If children are not provided with adequate opportunities, there is an increasing risk of them turning to criminal activity.

The international community must push high-income countries, both in the region and outside, to take more responsibility to support the host communities. Moreover, countries with influence should put pressure on Russia to cooperate with the international efforts to end the crisis, and not to stand alone in its operation on the ground without any coordination.

Overall the Chevening conference was a remarkable event to attend. I hope that network will provide regular opportunities for us to share best practice, hints and tips relating to the Syrian case.

Finally, I would encourage everybody to use their talent to provide support to the network, sharing their valuable experiences and advice with each other!