Abu Dhabi: Dangers of jaywalking and need to counter compassion fatigue were among trending topics at a TEDx talk held at the capital’s Al Yasmina Academy on Saturday.
“Today’s event provided our students with an important lesson in individual thinking and the need to question the world around us — two skills that will be hugely valuable in their professional lives. Students need to make their voices heard, and TEDx provides this platform on a global scale,” said Dr Tim Hughes, school principal.
Al Yasmina is a British curriculum private school in the capital under the umbrella of education provider Aldar Academies, which in turn was developed by Abu Dhabi Government-owned investment and real estate firm Aldar. The school boasts about 1,800 students in the current academic year.
The event was spearheaded by Yara Fawares, a student at the school, in collaboration with TEDx, a programme of local, independently-organised discussions that act as a global platform for sharing ideas and personal development.
Among Saturday’s 13 student speakers was Nikita Amir, an 18-year-old from Kazakhstan in her final year at high school, who believes that empathy can indeed help resolve the overwhelming cycles of aggression and violence around the world.
“In the attempt to keep ourselves informed, we are all exposed to so much tragedy and violence that many of us numb ourselves, a phenomenon known as compassion fatigue. But this fatigue often stands in the way of positive action that can bring about a change, and we need to counter it as the first step towards resolving the violence,” Amir told Gulf News.
“If we can emote and translate these emotions into action, we can bring about the real changes that are needed. For instance, even wearing a T-shirt to represent a cause, or writing about your concerns in a bid to create awareness are important contributions,” she added.
On the other hand, Shahzain Khan, another 18-year-old who hails from Pakistan, encouraged attendees to explore the artist within themselves.
“I was recently required to make a short film as part of my university applications, and it was liberating to know that I could do it. I believe that we all have the ability to create things, and that we should explore this ability because creative voices create lasting impacts on societies and civilisations,” he explained.
