Global Student Forum 2008

How can the British government ensure aid reaches the right people? Is
‘forced democracy’ possible? What kind of resistance do development
workers meet when working abroad? Can weapons be used as a force for
peace? Is war ever justified? Are we doing enough to make trade easier
for developing countries?

These were some of the many questions asked by students attending this year’s Global Student Forum: ‘Everybody Wants A Peace’,
and War Child were proud to be the associated charity for the day.
Hundreds of sixth form students arrived in Westminster to debate issues
surrounding conflict, take part in workshops and put awkward questions
to Gareth Thomas MP from the Department for International Development
and no stranger to conflict himself, former hostage and peace activist Norman Kember.

War Child organised workshops where the students could learn more about
the work we do with children who have been marginalised by war.
Margaret, our Programme Coordinator for Iraq and Afghanistan, spoke
about the projects we have in those countries, such as the kindergarten
we organise for children who have been imprisoned alongside their
mothers or our work reintegrating girls who have been accused of honour
crimes with their families.

Not only did the students get dug in to the issues with some great
debates and questions, but they also got the chance to get up close and
personal with the British Museum’s ‘Throne of Weapons’, a huge artwork made from decommissioned weapons from the Mozambique civil war, and heard performances from Ben Okafor, a musician with direct experience of conflict himself as a child soldier in the Nigerian/Biafran war.

There were also some fantastic adaptations of the War Child ‘Toy Soldiers’ t-shirt, with the students customising them with their own designs and messages of peace.

(For those of you wanting to sport your very own War Child T-Shirt, head over to our online store – customising it is optional!)

The issues discussed on the day won’t just be forgotten on the way home
either. The schools and colleges involved have the chance to take part
in the Media Partnership Challenge,
where the students that manage to best involve and engage their local
media in the issues of conflict, poverty and development will win a
visit to the DFID offices to put their thoughts to key political and
community leaders and a tour of the Channel 4 News studios with news
presenter (and War Child friend!) Jon Snow as their host.

We captured some of the students’ messages to world leaders from the
day on film and will be putting them up in all their glory soon.

For more on the Media Partnership Challenge, visit the Global Student Forum website

Check out more photos from the day on our Flickr photostream