News
A Coventry University graduate has launched a project designed to unite children in the UK and Iraq, tackle stereotypes and promote peace and reconciliation.
The Let’s Be Friends project, the brainchild of Zinah Mohammed, will see over 100 children extend the hand of friendship 3,000 miles between the UK and Iraq. It aims to tackle stereotypes and promote understanding by asking school pupils to guess the nationalities of children based on photographs, and to share their stories and build friendships across borders.
The scheme has already inspired 70 pupils from Warwickshire and Windsor who painted t-shirts with handprints and messages of friendship for Iraqi children living in refugee camps after fleeing their homes to escape extremism. It will now be rolled out to pupils in Coventry.
The idea is for children in both countries to see how they share similarities and learn about another way of life – all without the need for money or a common language.
Run from her student home of Coventry, Zinah hopes to encourage future generations to work towards peace and coexistence.
The 26-year-old who grew up in Baghdad under Saddam Hussein’s rule amid terror and kidnapping threats, said: “This is not just about children sharing a t-shirt to begin a friendship; it is also about the stereotypes around Iraqi people like me.
“I shared my story with children about how war changed my life, but how it never stopped me from dreaming big and achieving my ambitions.
“The whole idea is to build a peaceful connection that children wouldn’t usually have access to. It is just one way of teaching them how similar we all are and remind us all of the value of dialogue and coexistence.”
Zinah, who graduated from a master’s in International Business Law in November, will send t-shirts to 70 children living in camps who will then return a handmade shirt to England. She also hopes to share pictures and video calls between the children.
The scheme is part of Zinah’s work with the Prince’s Trust International Leadership programme, of which she is one of 54 international delegates chosen for their potential to make positive changes in their communities. Before moving to Coventry in 2016, the law graduate set up the Shine Together charity team in her home city to take emergency supplies of food, cooking utensils, and clothes to hundreds of families in camps.
Watch a video of the Let’s Be Friends project on our YouTube channel here.
Visit the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/letsbefriendsproject or donate online via www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/Lets-be-friends-project.