Enver Yücel Speaks at the US Congress

Enver Yücel, Chairman of the Board of Bahçeşehir Uğur Educational Institutions, addressed members of the US Congress: "Helping Syrian refugees is not a choice; it is a humanitarian duty." 

Washington-based BAU International University, part of BAU Global, held an important meeting at the US Congress. "Saving the Future: Education Programs for Syrian Refugees and Safe Zones" At the session titled as above, education programs specially designed for Syrian children and adults displaced from their homes were opened for discussion.

At the meeting, which attracted great interest from members and staff of the US Congress and media organizations, BAU International University Washington DC President Sinem Vatanartıran described the projects and work that Bahçeşehir Uğur Educational Institutions have carried out so far for Syrian refugees on a local and global scale. Introducing the comprehensive education programs prepared by the BAU Global family for Syrian refugees, Vatanartıran requested support from the US Congress for the programs prepared under three main headings: "integration of school-age Syrian children into the local education system, teacher training and adult education." Emphasizing that BAU Global has allocated 3.2 million dollars in resources to Syrian refugees so far, Vatanartıran continued: "To implement these projects, beyond our own resources, we expect support from the international community and especially from the US Congress. We cannot allow Syrian children to become a lost generation."

Speaking at the meeting, Walid Phares, Vice President of BAU International University and foreign policy adviser to US President Donald Trump during his election campaign, drew attention to the political uncertainty in Syria and pointed out that the international community should seriously address the establishment of safe zones in Syria as soon as possible. Explaining that the refugee crisis is not only a problem for Syria and its neighboring countries, Phares warned that hundreds of thousands of children being deprived of education could lead to very serious security problems both regionally and globally in the medium and long term.

Taking the floor last at the special session at the US Congress, Enver Yücel, Chairman of the Board of Bahçeşehir Uğur Educational Institutions, explained that, as Europe's largest education group, they have tried to support the education of Syrian children since the very beginning of the war. Stating that they have so far given scholarships to thousands of Syrian students of all ages, Yücel said: "Helping Syrian refugees is not a choice; it is a humanitarian duty." Underlining that they also expect support from members of the US Congress to implement the comprehensive projects they have prepared, Enver Yücel invited the Congressional staff attending the meeting to Türkiye to see firsthand the situation of Syrian refugee children.

After the meeting, Enver Yücel held a closed-door meeting with Pete Sessions, one of the leading Republican members of Congress and Co-Chair of the Türkiye Friendship Caucus.