AUK Students Attend the 4th Annual University Scholars Leadership Symposium in Manila, Philippines

Humanitarian Affairs, a UK based organization that aims to initiate and support humanitarian relief efforts in countries that are poverty-stricken and disaster-prone, held the 4th annual University Scholars Leadership Symposium in August 2013, in Manila - the Philippines, where youth leaders from over 45 countries around the world met at the Philippines International Convention Center (PICC). The American University of Kuwait (AUK) was the only university from the GCC to be present.

To represent AUK and Kuwait, 6 students were selected based on their commitment, involvement, and dedication to community service, through which each displayed leadership characteristics. The Office of Student Life received the invitation due to the success of its volunteer program "Refuse to Be Ordinary", which is a program established in October 2011, to provide AUK students with information and opportunities to be significant contributors to the Kuwaiti community through service. Two AUK chaperones joined the 6 students to form the AUK delegation:

• Fahad Al Khashti
• Fadwa Al Ajeel
• Fajer Ben Nasser
• Shereen Al Bloushi
• Abdulrahman Chowdhury
• Nour Jaber
• Laveena Lobo (Chaperone)
• Abdulwahab Al Khaldi (Chaperone)

The purpose of the symposium is to gather students from all around the world with the aim to train them to become leaders in their own communities through own humanitarian initiatives, to exchange personal experiences, and to recognize the importance of leading sustainable, humanitarian projects.

During the symposium, the participants also had the opportunity of listening to some key humanitarian and motivational speakers. The speakers have dedicated their lives to help others and shared their own personal experiences with the audience.

The AUK delegates were assigned to construction work in the impoverished area of Bistekville Payatas, in the outskirts of Quezon City, where they helped build housing for local teachers. The experience exposed them to what it is like to live harsh conditions, and they witnessed first-hand how the people came together to make their community a happier and healthier place to live in.

At the closing ceremony, AUK's Fadwa Al Ajeel, a Junior majoring in Finance, and Shereen Al Bloushi were selected to participate in the final segment. Al Ajeel acted as a host in presenting the final speeches while Al Bloushi was asked to speak about her week-long experience in Manila.

Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 1st October 2013

Photography by the Office of Public Affairs (C) 2013