Tens of thousands of refugees continue to trek across Europe in search of freedom after the image of Alan Kurdi laying dead on a Turkish beach sparked international outcry.
Canadian universities are now beginning to initiate a response.
York is collaborating with Ryerson, the University of Toronto, and OCAD University, in partnership with the Lifeline Syria Challenge initiative, to facilitate private sponsorships, fundraise, and build a volunteer base in an effort to coordinate bringing Syrian refugee families to Canada.
York will establish campus sponsorship teams who will try to raise a minimum of $27,000 each, and commit to supporting a Syrian refugee family for their first year resettling in Toronto.
“We want to fully engage with and encourage the support of the entire York community, students, staff, faculty, alumni, and donors in this very important initiative,” said York President and Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri.
“While this global crisis requires a global response, we strongly believe that together with our university partners in the GTA, there is much we can do as a local community to coordinate and augment our efforts.”
Osgoode Hall Law School Dean Lorne Sossin, who is helping coordinate the initiative, says there are still a number of logistical details to go over, but sees this initiative as an opportunity for students to engage, “while building on York’s existing commitments to supporting strong communities through the university’s activities.”
Moreover, the university is developing a multifaceted financial support program available to refugee students who attend York.
Graduate student and Kurdish refugee, Behzad Mohammadi, is encouraged that York has come forward with this initiative. However, he says it isn’t surprising, considering the events of the last few weeks.
“In fact,” says Mohammadi, “there have been some changes at the federal government level in respect to refugee policy, which could have resulted in more effort at the private level (churches, university and community) to bring in more refugees.”
Students can visit the Lifeline Syria Challenge for more information.
Ryan Moore, News Editor and Alex Kvaskov, Assistant News Editor
Featured image courtesy of UNHCR
