“My message to refugees is, language is a peaceful weapon to defeat your extenuating circumstances in the host counties. I am sorry to use the word ‘weapon’ as this is perhaps the last word you want to hear, but learning other languages, especially English, is indeed a weapon to defend yourselves in a thorny journey.
As for academics who care, my message is, no matter what degree or specialisation you have, unless you possess the human plus dimension of the profession, your profession is bound to be a mere business that fluctuates with the value of currencies and change of daily trends.
An educator has an ethical and moral responsibility before anything else, and unless you care about others who have less fortunate circumstances, and believe in their right to have access to higher education, you are contributing to a world that is only for the elite. Please also remember that by trying to reach refugees and support them linguistically and professionally, you will be building long-term and long-goal communication bridges for which our world is in dire need.”
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Dr Zakariya Absi 