United Planet Awarded $100,000 for American-Iraqi High School/University Teams Virtual Exchange Program to Address Climate Change and Health Impacts
BOSTON, Massachusetts – 320 high school and undergrad students from Iraq and the U.S. will be selected to address the effects of climate change on human health which impact their community. Students will be challenged to innovate and create “real world” solutions to global issues. The public affairs grant of $100,000 is awarded by the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad to United Planet for this virtual exchange program formed back in 2020–amidst the pandemic.
United Planet will partner with The Peace and Freedom Organization of Iraq, Boston University Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitative Sciences, and the U.S. Embassy, Baghdad, to support the students throughout the 7-week program. In teams of 10, half from Iraq and another half from the U.S. will work virtually through synchronous and asynchronous activities. “United Planet’s innovative model for virtual exchange will enable diverse students representing religious and ethnic minorities within Iraq to work together within their community, schools, and universities in the United States. The element of civic engagement will empower active participation in our society,” Sangar Y Salih, Executive Director of the Peace and Freedom Organization, believes strongly.
Shelley Brown, Clinical Assistant Professor & Director of International Service Learning at Boston University College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences: Sargent College shares Salih’s sentiment and said that “this program provides students with intercultural competencies across cultures and curriculums. This opportunity helps students learn how to lead culturally diverse teams and it is always a growth experience for everyone involved.”
At the culmination of this program, teams are expected to present actionable solutions relevant to their country and community. Professor Donna Lubrano, Program Director at United Planet shared, “I know that we’ll see innovation, creativity, and personal growth in each student. By this, we hope to inspire lifelong learning and create a thirst for greater cultural understanding.”
ABOUT THE PEACE AND FREEDOM ORGANIZATION OF IRAQ
Peace and Freedom Organization (PFO) is a non-governmental and not-for-profit organization that works in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region to protect human rights and civil rights and ensure peaceful coexistence through promoting trust and collaboration between the diverse components of the society and supporting governmental and non-governmental institutions in developing policies guaranteeing freedoms, rights, and social justice in accordance with international standards. PFO was founded in 2013 and is registered in the Kurdistan Region within the Department of Non-Governmental Organizations and employs 120 persons (48% are women) to implement its programs. PFO has a strong track record with international funders and partners in implementing projects to the highest level of excellence.
Learn more here https://pfo-ku.org/
ABOUT BOSTON UNIVERSITY SARGENT COLLEGE OF HEALTH AND REHABILITATIVE SCIENCES
Boston University Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitative Sciences is one of the most prestigious health science schools in the country that offers undergraduate and combined undergraduate/graduate degrees in nutrition, health science, human physiology, behavior & health, occupational therapy, and physical therapy, as well as speech, language, and hearing sciences.
Learn more here https://www.bu.edu/sargent
ABOUT UNITED PLANET
United Planet is a non-profit organization with a mission to create a global community, one relationship at a time. Established in 2001, United Planet offers personalized, immersive, service-learning, international experiential learning, and internship experiences in more than 30 countries. Volunteers and interns have helped address important global issues—such as health, children and education, and environmental sustainability while developing leadership and other 21st century skills, building bridges across divides, and forging cohesive and productive cross-border relationships both in-person and online.
Learn more here https://www.unitedplanet.org/about
ABOUT UNITED PLANET
United Planet is a non-profit organization with a mission to create a global community, one relationship at a time. Established in 2001, United Planet offers volunteer abroad, virtual internships, internships abroad, gap year volunteering, and global virtual exchange in more than 40 countries.
