WASHINGTON: The Kuwait-America Foundation (KAF) peace ambassadors have called on schools to pay attention and properly address situations of bullying and violence among children. The student ambassadors who have taken a stand against violence were honored during the foundation’s annual National Recognition dinner. Chairman of KAF Dr Hassan Al-Ebraheem said the ambassadors’ participation in the program is a tribute to all Kuwaiti children who were subjected to violence during the Iraqi invasion.

The dinner celebrated some 54 students who participated in the program this year by writing reports tackling the causes and solutions to youth violence. The ambassadors will get their writings compiled into a book that will be presented to the Library of Congress. The dinner was held in the presence of Kuwait’s Ambassador to the US Sheikha Al-Zain Al-Sabah, as well as several dignitaries, academics, reporters and children, totaling 54, chosen out of 77,000 participants across the globe.

In their speeches, the students stressed the importance of protecting child victims of violence from isolation. The students also focused on the means of combating violence and dealing with the problem in a proper way to avoid its repercussions. Some children highlighted victims of violence and bullying and called on schools to pay much attention to treating such issues. Oral and emotional abuse is an integrated part of violence that has painful feelings, they said, stressing the need of raising awareness of children on violence and helping them to learn skills of resolving disputes.

They underlined the need of sports as a health tool for children facing violence and an effective way to combat negative feelings caused by violence. Attorney General in the US State of Ohio Dave Yost expressed his pride for being a KAF member over four years, stressing the need of effective action of children. According to statistics, violence at Ohio’s schools dropped by 50 percent over the past years. Speaking to KUNA, KAF Chairman Al-Ebraheem said he was very impressed by the speeches of those children who have been honored, adding they give hopes for a future free of violence. He hoped that the KAF would continue its effective role.

This move came to honor the impressive articles of those outstanding students and their creative solutions about violence to be involved at the Congress Library that will help document their voices and ideas for the next generations. Some dignitaries have been honored due to their key role in protecting children in their societies. As an extension of the gratitude and generosity of the people of Kuwait, KAF was founded in 1991 after Kuwait’s liberation with the core mission of strengthening ties between the United States and the State of Kuwait. — KUNA