WEBVTT

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"This makes me feel skilled and useful

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instead of making me feel useless."

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I'm sharing a quote from a refugee
who found back her confidence,

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and I'd like to share with you
what makes her say that.

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Refugee situations all over the globe

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are growing in number,
size, and permanence.

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Being out of school is often the reality

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for those who've been forced
to leave their homes,

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who are on the move.

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Crises and conflicts
make a major barrier for learning.

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The right to learn
is most at risk during emergencies,

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and that's exactly
when it's needed the most.

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When a disaster hits,

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let's say a human-caused conflict
or a natural catastrophe,

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the relief efforts are very quick
at providing and mobilizing

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sanitation, nutrition, shelter, food,

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clean drinking water, health care.

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But what about learning?
What about education?

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How about recreational activities?

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Can those wait for better times?

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When you ask kids and teenagers
who're living in crisis and conflicts,

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one of their biggest hopes
is to go to school.

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When you miss school,

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you're in the danger
of psychosocial trauma

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you're in the danger
of psychosocial damage,

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being trafficked,

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being forced to work in armed groups,

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or getting married early;

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and if worse, losing hope.

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Providing access to education in crisis

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is not a political priority.

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Education funding gets less than 2%

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of all humanitarian funding.

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However, there's a growing recognition

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that we need to fix this.

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We have to fix this.

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And at the same time,

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we're starting to understand
the value of playful and joyful learning.

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When Mohammad first came to the camp,

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he thought he'd be
just staying for a few days.

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Over three years later,

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he's still living in what's known
as the biggest refugee camp

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in the Middle East: Za'atri.

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But he's found hope

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thanks to an unexpected source of joy:

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the circus school.

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A group of professionals from Finland
opened the school

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around the same time
when Mohammad arrived at the camp.

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He joined the classes

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and quickly wanted
to become a trainer himself.

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In the early days,

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the school was not so well accepted.

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Some said, "What a waste of time."

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But a lot has changed.

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Now people living in the camp
have taken ownership of the trainings,

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and their dream is
one day to return back home

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and establish the first
national circus of Syria.

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While Mohammad's students in his classes
are passionately learning

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new techniques, movements, tricks,

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they also take away much more than that.

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It's a model for spreading joy,
confidence, and smiles.

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For some, it's the first laugh
since they've left Syria.

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One of the elders
in the community said it well,

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"Food and shelter will keep you alive,

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but won't give you the power
to fight for your life."

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So, laughter is a serious business.

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Acrobatics, funny tricks, and games

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let you enter the world

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that's outside of the everyday challenges.

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These young boys are not at risk
of being socially excluded.

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They are excluded.

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Some of them feel
that the world has betrayed them.

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However, at the same time,

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their goal is that this team will one day
be famous for its international shows.

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What's even better,

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the girls and young women
are extremely active.

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For cultural reasons,
the boys and girls train separately.

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When training, you get to meet friends,

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you get to make lots of new friends,

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you get to jump, tumble, joke around.

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The girls are learning
never to underestimate their abilities.

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That's a good boost of self-confidence.

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Many mothers are very supportive.

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One of the mothers said,

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"For my daughter, a psychologist
might not have had the same effect,

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but the school has."

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Fatima, one of the female trainers
on the left, says,

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"There's much more joy to life now."

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The school has given jobs
to those who otherwise wouldn't have any.

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It's a remarkable thing to have a job,

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to be employed in a refugee camp.

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The girls make wonderful idols
for the younger ones,

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and they faced a few difficulties

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convincing the more conservative
members of the community

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that it's OK for girls
to do backflips and make headstands.

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When the camp opened, there were tensions

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with masses of young men
coming out of the war.

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It can be unstable.

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It's a simple issue of boredom.

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When you don't have anything to do,
you have all this unused energy.

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Activities, like the circus,

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are good at redirecting
that excess energy.

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These young people have been through war,

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suffering trauma or post-traumatic stress.

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Many have lost their family.

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But they're learning to trust again

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because trust is needed
in the crowded camp.

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From the outside,

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this looks like any of the other tents,

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but this particular tent brings hope
to those who are waiting to go home.

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And what's new?

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Recently, the circus school
got bigger and better facilities

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with air conditioning and higher ceilings,

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so now you can make higher tricks
and train for longer hours.

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Making this happen
doesn't require a lot of investments,

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but it's an effective way to build
a more sustainable tomorrow.

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Yes, we know;

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when there's crisis or during emergencies,

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it's vital to take care
of the basic needs,

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but the circus school also shows us

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that opportunities to play are needed.

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In other words, joy cannot wait.

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(Applause)