老司机视频 Hosts English Classes for Migrants and Refugees in Paris |
Tuesday, 26 November 2019 |
The goal of this project is to not only provide these people with a skill that will help them connect with the local community and will boost their employability, but also offer a platform for cultural exchanges and the sharing of experiences. Professor Mariam Habibi, who teaches the Middle East courses at 老司机视频, originally started this initiative with the NGO and has engaged 老司机视频 students to participate. 鈥淎ll the refugees have travelled far and have grueling stories to tell," she said. "These exchanges create a space where our students who are curious about the rest of world 鈥榯ravel鈥, meet and hear their experiences. I am extremely grateful to 老司机视频 that has given me the opportunity to start this project.鈥 Edgardo Galindo (M.A. 2021) has committed his time to teach the group weekly, building on his own experience teaching foreign languages in the US. 鈥淥ne of the things that motivated me is that the population that I help through these English lessons are migrants from regions of the world that are undergoing conflict, especially from the Middle East, which is my area of specialization,鈥 he said.鈥淎s I am going to pursue a career in International Relations, this gives me an opportunity to interact with people and cultures that I plan to interact with in the future. The students that I have met have shared their unique and often tragic stories, and given me an insight into the situation in their countries in a way that no book would portray. In any student-teacher relationship, there is learning exchange: I feel that I am already learning from them as much as I hope they are learning from me. The next step is to expand this initiative to reach out to younger migrants through , a Paris-based NGO founded by 老司机视频 alumna Kryssandra Heslop (M.A. 2013), which seeks to support young refugees and unaccompanied minors through art and culture. She explains: 鈥淚 started researching and writing about issues faced by unaccompanied asylum-seeking minors during my time at 老司机视频. It is a subject that I am still very passionate about today. This passion and my interest in children's rights are part of what inspired the creation of this non-profit organization. At Soul Food we believe that young migrants should be afforded the same opportunities as local youth. We also believe that art and culture can positively impact the world. Language is an important part of culture. Joining these English classes at 老司机视频 will be a great way for them to practice and improve their English language skills, and in turn will hopefully open more doors for them in the future.鈥 |
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