YouSaid · the spoken record

Khurram

lines on the record
14
first
2019-12-16
most recent
2019-12-16
sittings or episodes
1
sources
un-security-council

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  1. “We, Afghan youth, are committed to building a society of coexistence, peace and tolerance. We stand together with young people all over the world to advance the cause of humankind. Let us build a peaceful and prosperous world together. So, bolstered by my generation's will and commitment to effecting positive change, I call on the global community to join and support us in building the future that my generation so richly deserves.”

    2019-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8687 (2019) · source

  2. “It is here and now that I must secure the Council's commitment to advancing the peace process, with the primary objective of preserving human dignity and of ending this infamous humanitarian catastrophe. Those are the values that must prevail over national interests. Let me put forward four pillars that I believe are fundamental to the future we want for the young people of Afghanistan and generations to come: first, the need for the Security Council to play a proactive role in the Afghan peace process; secondly, the preservation of our rights and achievements in any possible peace agreement guaranteed by the Security Council; thirdly, an immediate end to the ongoing violence and a country- wide ceasefire; and fourthly, the substantive inclusion of all Afghan youth, including young Taliban members, in the peace process.”

    2019-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8687 (2019) · source

  3. “They have captivated the public with their inspiring message of hope and determination. They have proved that after years of darkness, young Afghan boys and girls across the country can finally take charge and aspire to be the masters of their own destiny. The message I should take back today to my fellow young Afghans should be one of reassurance that they are being heard and that a war so futile and aimless will no longer darken their days, rattle their nights and destroy their lives. If humankind is to prevail over the ill will of a few, then I must here and now secure a commitment from the international community, from this very Council - a resounding confirmation that we do stand for human rights, that every innocent life matters and that humanity will prevail over all else.”

    2019-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8687 (2019) · source

  4. “I assure the Council of the strong resolve of Afghan youth to rebuild their country. They are driven to build their country under fire if they must; they will continue to attend school while being bombed, if they must. We do not want future generations to look back and wonder why we refused to act or why we failed to pass on to them a situation that they deserved to inherit. Although there will be setbacks, false starts and tough days ahead, we will never waver in our pursuit for peace. We have a youthful, productive and dynamic population that not only craves peace but fearlessly works for it at every level. Afghanistan's first robotics girls team, comprised of young girls, participated in their first global challenge, tasked with building a robot for a competition.”

    2019-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8687 (2019) · source

  5. “And we believe that the future will be forged by deeds, not simply words. Speeches alone will not solve our problems; it will take sincere efforts and persistent action to bring peace and stability back to Afghanistan. My fellow Afghan youth demonstrate the marvel of human resolve - at a time of widespread violence and humanitarian catastrophe - to rebuild, to learn, to love and to live. Our schools, universities and academic institutions were bombed, and hundreds of our fellow young people lost their lives, but the next morning we went back to our classrooms. Those bombs, bullets and attacks could never silence us. We went back every day. We coped with the risks because we understand that no matter how much our lives are threatened on a daily basis, we have no future without an education.”

    2019-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8687 (2019) · source

  6. “And it will be earned only if the miles we have walked on the path to progress are respected; only if our achievements are preserved and our rights protected. It has been almost a year since peace negotiations between the Taliban and the United States took place in Doha. The young people of Afghanistan want a transparent and vigilant mechanism that protects their rights and achievements in any possible peace deal, because where we are today is the product of great effort and sacrifices. In this crucial moment of our history, we ask the Security Council to make untiring and sincere efforts, to play an active role and become the guarantor of our rights in any future peace agreement. My people, my fellow Afghan youth want the Security Council to commit to peace. They want an end to suicide bombings attacks, air strikes and night raids now.”

    2019-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8687 (2019) · source

  7. “One common message echoed over and over again - "We want peace, a safe life and access to education, and we want to have a voice in the decisions that affect our future." Right now, reconciliation and peace are Afghanistan's highest priority, and the key to ensuring sustainable reconciliation is to ensure that the voices of Afghan youth from both sides of the conflict are considered in the peace process. Since this peace belongs to the people of Afghanistan more than to anyone else, it should bear our endorsement. Our endorsement alone will ensure the legitimacy of any deal reached during the peace process. And that endorsement, in particular that of the Afghan youth, will have to be earned.”

    2019-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8687 (2019) · source

  8. “The message I deliver today on behalf of Afghanistan's younger generation is one of hope, but at this critical moment in time, hope has been overtaken by the fear - the fear of being excluded, forgotten and sacrificed. Over the past two months, I have redoubled my efforts to reach out to as many young people as I could. I have been to several universities, academic institutions, orphanages and community groups. I have launched an online survey and created a hashtag on social media with the name of #AfghanYouthCall. I have met young people from almost every province of Afghanistan in the Afghanistan National Youth Assembly for Peace. I have travelled outside Kabul province and organized round table discussions. As I travelled - mile after mile, door after door, community after community - all I found was a shared craving for peace.”

    2019-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8687 (2019) · source

  9. “And the most heartfelt cries one will hear from Afghan victims suffering from this calamity will be their pleas to stop the war and cease the killings. Afghan villages are no threat to anyone. Afghanistan is one of the most youthful countries in the world, with 63 per cent of its population under 25 years old. Therefore, the greatest price for this conflict is not paid by politicians or battlefield elites; it is paid by Afghan children and youth. Violent conflict has plagued our country for decades, and that exposure to violence and uncertainty has shaped the lives of young Afghans. I am here for them today because this is also their United Nations, and my generation trusts that the truth alone will ensure international action.”

    2019-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8687 (2019) · source

  10. “This war is an imposition upon the Afghan people, the product ofa great game, and we have been dragged into it and made its primary victims by no will of our own. Eighteen years of ground and aerial operations have not succeeded in bringing an end to the conflict. We want a peace that is balanced and sustained so as to prevent crises like these from ever happening again. We meet at a time when Afghanistan is in a critical but highly uncertain situation. The ongoing peace process, presidential elections and the possible withdrawal of foreign troops are combining to define the fate and future of our country at a time when Afghans are deeply frustrated and weary of the continued violence. This is not just a war on terrorism anymore; this is now a war against innocent civilians who want nothing but peace.”

    2019-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8687 (2019) · source

  11. “This war has crushed hopes, destroyed dreams and snuffed out innocent lives, but amid this chaos we, the Afghan youth, commend resolution 2250 (2015), adopted by this very Council, which has bestowed upon me the privilege and the responsibility to deliver the genuine messages and share the concerns of Afghan youth, mindful of the enormous challenges of our moment in history. I applaud the Afghans for their efforts, progressive thinking and organization, and the German Embassy in Kabul, which, in collaboration with the United Nations, has provided this remarkable opportunity to Afghan youth. Violence across Afghanistan underscores the urgent need to end the conflict through a negotiated settlement.”

    2019-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8687 (2019) · source

  12. “This humanitarian catastrophe is the reality of our age, and for this we all will be judged by history, just as history has judged those before us, for the injustice that we allow and for the silence that we choose to keep. Are we still deluded that we will be forgiven? Such scenes are rare for many people in this world, but we are living this reality. More than 100 people are killed or wounded on a daily basis in my country. They have families. It is hard to explain what they feel and go through when they see the dead bodies of their loved ones. Civilians, in particular youth and children, have become witnesses and victims who are often caught in the increasingly ruthless violence carried out by the warring parties.”

    2019-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8687 (2019) · source

  13. “I heard one child, Royina, speak for the rest, her words cracking everyone's heart in the room as she spoke of her miseries. Another, Zuhra, only nine years old, lost her father in a rogue suicide bombing attack in Kabul. That was the moment they each lost not only a parent but their future, a breadwinner who should have held their hands throughout their childhood. Now, eyes filled with tears, one cried out the words: "How can I think of the future? I do not want to just peddle away my childhood on the streets." I am privileged to address the Security Council in my capacity as Afghan Youth Representative to United Nations. The events that I described at the beginning of my speech are not stories from the last century or from the medieval era.”

    2019-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8687 (2019) · source

  14. “Ms. Khurram: Early one morning, a young father was taking a walk with his children in the quiet of his village. As the father slowed to fix his ride, he told his children to go on ahead. Only a few moments had gone by when a horrific sound shook their fragile little hearts beating apace. As they rushed back to their father, they saw him torn to pieces and what was left of him on fire. They hurried to put out the fire consuming what was left of their beloved guardian, and then they rushed to gather up his remains. Sohaila, who is only two, and Wajidullah, aged four, have yet to realize they were the victims ofa drone strike. A few short miles from this scene, there is an orphanage where I have visited the orphans of war. Most of them are victims of suicide bombing attacks - a scene that has forever changed my life.”

    2019-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8687 (2019) · source