Hela Baer had done a little public speaking while serving in the Israeli military, but never did she think that just a few years later she would be seated in the United Nations’ General Assembly Hall, speaking to an audience of 800, including four Nobel Peace Prize laureates, and describing a proposed project to promote peace.
The George Mason University junior presented a collaborative project by George Mason students as part of the UN’s International Day of Peace in September, an event that brought conflict students and leaders from around the world to the UN in New York City.
Mason’s team of eight undergraduates in the School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution program was one of six teams chosen to present its ideas. Mason students used the forum to explain the Displaced Youth Education Initiative, a project intended to provide mentorship to young displaced persons living in Northern Virginia.
The initiative, according to the proposal submitted to the UN, includes a donation drive to provide basic necessities, such as school supplies and household items, to promote a better quality of life for displaced individuals; create an awareness campaign focused on the struggles that displaced people face, especially in the Northern Virginia area; help reduce the inequalities this group encounters; and establish a student-led mentorship program to promote education among displaced youth.
Mason’s connection to the International Day of Peace spans decades: School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution professor Arthur Romano worked on the NGO steering committee, raising the profile of the event when it was largely unknown.
“It’s really gratifying to turn on the television and see people around the world reaffirming their commitment to challenge injustice and work for peace,” Romano said. “I worked on this event immediately after I graduated from my undergraduate studies in my early twenties, and to see another generation of peace makers from Mason stepping into leadership is inspiring.”
For Baer, one of the highlights of the day was meeting four Nobel Peace laureates, all women, including Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee, whose work the students study in their conflict courses.
“These are amazing, courageous women,” Baer said. “Meeting them, being in their presence, exchanging smiles and handshakes was extremely energizing. It was definitely not something I imagined myself doing, especially while still a student.”
Baer came to the United States from Israel specifically to attend Mason, after hearing about its world-renowned conflict program.
Being a 26-year-old undergraduate has been surprisingly comfortable, she said.
“[The age difference] has had interesting moments in terms of dynamics, but what I’ve found so great about S-CAR is we have a lot of different students who come to the school at all ages. Some are older, some are more worldly, so my age is not noticeable.”
She’s already applying to the master’s program in the School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution, and in the future hopes to find employment opportunities in the Washington, D.C., area, another benefit of attending Mason—in addition to presenting ideas at the UN.