Sharjah 24: The Big Heart Foundation (TBHF), a Sharjah-based global humanitarian charity dedicated to supporting refugees and people in need worldwide, will organise a virtual panel discussion titled, ‘Refugee-Support Organisations: Making Crisis Response Agile and Adaptive’, on June 21 (Monday) in collaboration with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

The session will follow the official award ceremony of the fifth annual Sharjah International Award for Refugee Advocacy and Support (SIARA 2021) that will take place on Sunday, June 20, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi, UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah.

Scheduled to be held from 4:00 pm to 5:15 pm Gulf Standard Time (GST), the panel discussion will host global representatives of humanitarian development entities and leading advocates of refugee rights and support; and is open to the public on registration at: https://tinyurl.com/fznfbrjw. 

The panelists will discuss the outstanding work and efforts of their respective organizations and share impactful videos of the multifaceted journeys and daily lives of forcibly displaced populations. Bisan Salameh, Private Sector Partnerships Officer, UNHCR, will moderate the session.

Other topics of discussion will include the adverse effects of coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on refugees and other displaced peoples as well as the innovative practices undertaken by the panelists and their organizations to overcome the challenges posed by the pandemic.

Mariam Al Hammadi, Director, TBHF, will be delivering a keynote speech at the event.