1. Refugee Simulation Game "Against All Odds" Online Now!
2. UNHCR Goodwill Envoy Khaled Hosseini's Visit to Afghanistan
3. Nine Million What?
4. UNHCR to attend the NCSS Conference Later this Month
5. News to Use in the Classroom: Somalia Update, plus an interview with a famous footballer
1. Against All Odds, Online Now!
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Image from "Against All Odds". A player must decide the safest route out of the country © 2004 UNHCR. |
"Against All Odds" is an online game created to increase students’ awareness and knowledge about refugee situations by putting them in the position of a refugee. Students will be challenged by a variety of obstacles simulating some of the struggles refugees are forced to deal with every day, from sneaking out of town to dealing with prejudices in a new place. Along the way, players can learn more in the Web Facts section, where they can read stories and watch films about individual refugees. In addition to providing firsthand accounts of real life refugee situations, the Web Facts section also offers a variety of other important refugee information articles and resources.
"Against All Odds" also has a Teacher Information page. This section provides various lesson plans, learning activities, and other interesting educational resources that can be of use both inside and outside the classroom.
"Will you survive? Test yourself!" Click here to play
2. UNHCR Goodwill Envoy Khaled Hosseini's Visit to Afghanistan
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UNHCR Goodwill Envoy Khaled Hosseini speaks with village elders in Afghanistan during his recent visit. © UNHCR/T. Irwin. |
In September, UNHCR Goodwill Envoy Khaled Hosseini traveled with UNHCR to Afghanistan for the first time since gaining international recognition for his best-selling novel, The Kite Runner, in 2005. His second book, A Thousand Splendid Suns, released earlier this year, has also been successful worldwide. Both are set in Afghanistan and reflect its history over the past 40 years.
After his recent visit to Afghanistan, Khaled spoke primarily of the country's present and future, saying: "Afghanistan needs time, patience, and relentless effort. This is not the time to give up. It is the time to remain fully engaged so that the positive developments can be built upon and produce long-term results."
"Education," Hosseini said, "remains a key need in Afghanistan. In many of the villages I visited children either were not attending school at all, or had to walk long distances to reach the nearest school."
To learn more about Hosseini's trip to Afghanistan, click here, or read more about education and Afghan refugee children in camps' makeshift schools.
Be sure to stayed tuned in to future Teacher's Corner E-alerts for information about the upcoming release of the film The Kite Runner, directed by Marc Forster.
3.
Nine Million What?
Maybe you or your students have heard of ninemillion.org, but do you know what the number nine million represents for the campaign?
It's the number of refugee and vulnerable children UNHCR hopes to provide an education for by the year 2010. See who is involved (the campaign brings together corporate partners such as Nike, Inc. and Microsoft), how you or your class can help ($2.00 buys 10 exercise school books), or read the moving interview below to see just how important education can be to a refugee child.
Q&A with Sudanese Lost-Boy John Dau about education
Photo Gallery: "Education in Exile"
Read More about UNHCR's goals for the ninemillion campaign.
4. UNHCR to Attend NCSS Conference
UNHCR will be an exhibitor at the National Council for the Social Studies annual conference in San Diego, November 30 - December 2. If you will be in attendance, feel free to stop by booth 625!
5.
News to use in the classroom
Somalia: So far in 2007, over 20,000 people have crossed the Gulf of Aden by boat to reach Yemen. As of late October, 439 people are known to have died while 489 remain missing in this year alone. Not only are the waters hazardous, but the conditions aboard the boat are dangerous as well. Frequently the smugglers in charge stab, beat, rob, throw overboard, and kill their passengers. Some of the Somalis who survive the dangerous two-day long journey explain that they believed the risks were worth taking given the increasing violence within Somalia.
Education really is important: The UNHCR believes that one of the first and most critical steps in preventing so many casualties is to educate potential boatpeople about the perils of crossing the Gulf, many of whom do not actually realize the dangers involved. Leaflets are to be disseminated by outreach teams, radio spots are being developed, and other educational measures are being taken.
Learn more about some of the most recent struggles for Somali Refugees: Crossing the Gulf, Fleeing Violence in Mogadishu, and being displaced.
Spain: Professional soccer player Antonio Rio Mavuba tells his tale of having been a stateless person born at sea. Read his answer to the question, can sports help refugees?
"Learning Is Their Future" DVD
If you are interested in receiving a free copy of the DVD "Learning is Their Future", documenting refugee childrens' hopes and struggles to attend school, send an email to usawaedu@unhcr.org.
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