SLP students participate in annual Dubai humanitarian conference

Eight students from the Student Leadership Program (SLP) at American University of Sharjah (AUS) participated in the annual Dubai International Humanitarian Aid and Development (DIHAD) conference held at Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, April 1-3, 2012. The conference was held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President, Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai.

DIHAD is considered the largest humanitarian event in the Middle East where the world's key decision makers, NGOs, United Nations agencies, governmental departments, international associations, humanitarians, researchers and academics come together.

At the conference AUS students had the opportunity to critically question and evaluate the ideas presented by leading humanitarians and dignitaries working in the field. AUS students also met HRH Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein, UN Messenger of Peace and Chairperson of the International Humanitarian City; renowned artist Sami Yusuf; and the former president of Sudan, His Excellency Field Marshal Abdelrahman Mohamed Hassan Sawar Elzahab.

The conference trained students on providing humanitarian assistance and developing effective leadership skills in order to become successful social entrepreneurs.

Arfa Siddiqi, a sophomore majoring in journalism said, "The conference was exactly what I needed to be taught the necessary skills for starting up my own humanitarian project. Furthermore, I got to interact with humanitarians working on the field who provided us with valuable insights about diplomacy and bureaucracy in humanitarian aid."

"We introduced the DIHAD conference to students as part of our Civic Leadership and Responsibility Program. This program aims to develop students' ability to work with communities, develop programs and services that meet community-identified needs and effectively engage root causes of issues impacting our societies. Additionally, the program's goal is to shape active citizens who understand the surrounding environment and undertake the responsibility to address social problems, improve conditions and build healthier communities," said Dr. Moza Al Shehhi, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs.