86 university students graduate with the support of the European Union

The European Union and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) celebrated the university graduation of 86 students. The graduating students were all recipients of scholarships from the European Union and attended universities in Lebanon.

The graduation ceremony was held in Beirut in the presence of the European Union Ambassador to Lebanon, Christina Lassen, the Director of UNRWA Affairs in Lebanon, Claudio Cordone, the representative of the Palestinian Ambassador to Lebanon, Mr. Maher Meshayel, along with members of the UNRWA Scholarship Advisory Committee and staff and students from the participating Lebanese universities.

Since 2005, the European Union has contributed approximately EUR 12.5 million to support more than 600 beneficiaries through the UNRWA scholarships program. Currently, 6.2 percent of Palestine refugees residing in Lebanon hold university degrees. The EU-funded scholarships enable many young Palestine refugees in Lebanon to attend the university where they can learn about a broad range of disciplines such as science, engineering, social and economic sciences, and liberal arts.

The scholarship program helps to empower young Palestine refugees who reside in Lebanon by providing them with high-quality university education to broaden up their future professional and social opportunities. Past students who graduated with the scholarship program have found employment in Lebanon and abroad.

Expressing her gratitude to the European Union and the UNRWA Scholarships Programme, Kafa Khalil, one of the graduates said: “Our success is your success, for you have given us the courage to excel and the belief that we can achieve our best. Investing in Education is an investment in a stable future. Therefore, I hope the same opportunity to be provided to other students who have a strong willingness to continue their studies and to have a better future but they lack the resources.”

Original source: UNRWA
Published on 17 September 2018