In Search of a Better Future for Their Country, Iraqi Students Visit Model United Nations
Iraqi Students Brave Sunni Triangle for NYC
Tony Azios
Issue date: 4/13/05 Section: News
The delegates stated that their participation in this exercise in democracy and international relations was important enough to take the risks of the journey. Alkaaby, who is a student of religious studies at El Halla University and works with the nongovernmental organizations The Iraqi Institute of Democratic Development and The Religion Center for Democracy, said, "It has been so important to come here and represent our country. You could put all the reasons not to come on one side of a scale, and our desire to be here would still outweigh them."
Jewad, a newlywed who works at the same human rights oriented NGOs as Alkaaby and is also the supervisor of his school's media center, is fond of expressing himself through analogies. He equates his trip to represent his country in a democratic forum to making a hazardous trek to save an ill brother. He said, "Our country has many troubles and is going through hard times right now. Imagine that your brother is sick and dying and all the medicine is in the west or overseas. Even if there was a canyon, or alligators or a big monster in the way, you would still make the journey. You could not just sit and let him die."
Alkaaby added, "In order for Iraq to emerge from its current corrupt and bad state, it must reach out to the rest of the world, make alliances, and be as cooperative as possible. That's a part of coming [to New York]."
One of the quieter Iraqi students, Ghassan Mohie, 31, a religious studies major who is married and expecting his third child soon ("Maybe I will return home to find a new son!," he joked) solemnly nods in agreement with the pontificating Sattar, who likens the new government of Iraq to a newborn baby. Jewad said, "This is very important! We all believe in Iraq that we need to build a firm foundation for society to be built upon. The birth is done, the baby is out now. I mean, Iraq is free now, so now we must make sure to raise the baby the right way so that it will be able to walk one day. When we are building the foundation in Iraq we must keep in mind the different pillars of the economy and the environmental, educational, and social pillars that hold up society. The same way you would teach your kids morals, like how to be a good gentleman, so he can handle himself later."
Jewad, a newlywed who works at the same human rights oriented NGOs as Alkaaby and is also the supervisor of his school's media center, is fond of expressing himself through analogies. He equates his trip to represent his country in a democratic forum to making a hazardous trek to save an ill brother. He said, "Our country has many troubles and is going through hard times right now. Imagine that your brother is sick and dying and all the medicine is in the west or overseas. Even if there was a canyon, or alligators or a big monster in the way, you would still make the journey. You could not just sit and let him die."
Alkaaby added, "In order for Iraq to emerge from its current corrupt and bad state, it must reach out to the rest of the world, make alliances, and be as cooperative as possible. That's a part of coming [to New York]."
One of the quieter Iraqi students, Ghassan Mohie, 31, a religious studies major who is married and expecting his third child soon ("Maybe I will return home to find a new son!," he joked) solemnly nods in agreement with the pontificating Sattar, who likens the new government of Iraq to a newborn baby. Jewad said, "This is very important! We all believe in Iraq that we need to build a firm foundation for society to be built upon. The birth is done, the baby is out now. I mean, Iraq is free now, so now we must make sure to raise the baby the right way so that it will be able to walk one day. When we are building the foundation in Iraq we must keep in mind the different pillars of the economy and the environmental, educational, and social pillars that hold up society. The same way you would teach your kids morals, like how to be a good gentleman, so he can handle himself later."