Second-year Liberal Studies and Business and Management student, Yasmine Hashemi, has recently been named as an Ambassador for the International Crisis Group.
Using her social media platforms, Yasmine expressed an interest in the organisation and the work they undertake, after attending an event, involving a panel and a Q&A.
Yasmine said: “I am very excited to be an Ambassador for The International Crisis Group. I think it is very important for students and young people, like myself, to be more aware and educated on the pressing issues around the world and to be more involved”.
Aiming to highlight potential conflicts, the International Crisis Group was founded in 1995 as a non-governmental organisation. With a mission to prevent deadly conflict, Crisis Group engages directly and support good governance in the hope of building a more peaceful world.
One of the projects Crisis Group support is the UN campaign of #HearMeToo. Building on from the global movements and campaigns such as #MeToo and #TimesUp, the campaign seeks to highlight the many women and girls who are taking action for their rights, after experiencing some form of violence.
Building upon this support, Yasmine spoke about the Crisis Group’s work on gender analysis and how they seek to understand how men and women’s identities intersect with conflict. She spoke of how highlighting these roles and their experiences of deadly violence also shapes the dynamic of the conflict itself, and how it is crucial to understand these roles in the hopes of building peace.
Whilst at a workshop recently, Yasmine and other Ambassador’s discussed what it means to them to be an Ambassador.
“For me, it means making sure as many people are aware about issues around the world, and making sure they receive the right news and do not gain perspectives through fake news,” she said.
“I would also love to thank Professor Mekelberg for creating opportunities for myself and other students, outside of the classroom, encouraging us to become more involved”.
Speaking of Yasmine’s achievements, Professor Yossi Mekelberg said "We are very proud and supportive of Yasmine becoming an Ambassador for the International Crisis Group. It represents the Regent's ethos of encouraging our students to take opportunities presented to them and to become proactive global citizens. Yasmine's work with this organisation will help to promote and defend some of the most pertinent issues in our world, and those which young people especially are presently tackling".