KUWAIT, Dec 14 (KUNA) -- President of the 74th session of the UN General Assembly Tijjani Mohammad-Bande, on Saturday, commended the role of Bareeq and Boomerang programs in spreading positivity among students, admiring the role of civil society institutions in supporting government efforts and financing sustainable development goals.
Mohammad-Bande said in a press statement, on the sidelines of the visit to the headquarters of Al-Nuwair Positive Initiative (Bareeq), headed by Sheikha Intisar Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah, that Kuwait supports the UN in many projects.
He thanked Al-Sabah for giving him the opportunity to visit this non-governmental and non-profit organization that is doing a great job in the field of education and is important in trying to help those who have difficulty in learning.
Mohammad-Bande affirmed the depth of the historical relationship that binds Kuwait to the UN, appreciating Kuwaiti support for the activities and programs of the UN and its organizations.
He said that Kuwait was not only a leader of humanitarian issues in the world but was also ready to continue positive engagement with the UN system, especially in regional issues, noting Kuwait's contribution through its membership in the Security Council that will finish by the end of this month.
Meanwhile, Al-Sabah stressed that civil society institutions are working alongside the Kuwaiti government to highlight the cultural image of Kuwait.
Al-Sabah gave a presentation on Bareeq program, which achieved outstanding success in schools, adding that this was due to the cooperation of the program with a team that includes a group of educators headed by the Program's Director Ruqaya Hussain.
She pointed out that it aims to spread and promote positive thinking and integrated psychological well-being for students, eliminating negativity through a set of interactive activities that are short, simple and easy to implement, based mainly on scientific research results.
The fruits of the program seemed clear in the great success that it has achieved in over 39 schools of the Ministry of Education to date, including nearly 500 teachers and more than 11,000 students, she noted.
Through the follow-up of the program, they detected a change among students, decreased tension and the ability to speak in front of the public.
What distinguishes Bareeq program is the distance from the traditional methods of lectures and seminars, which always afflicts the bored recipient, explaining that students enjoy the program activities, she said.
After their participation in the program, parents, teachers and school administrations testified these impressive results, which made the General Secretariat of the Supreme Council for Planning include the program.
Since its inception in 2013, it reinforced positivity in Kuwaiti society, which sought more of it through various activities and events, she emphasized.
She confirmed that it has brought a great change in society, indicating that it was established in conjunction with the International Day of Happiness, which was approved by the UN on March 20, 2013.
She reviewed what the Boomerang program did, such as building school cultures in Kuwait through 12 private schools, explaining that Boomerang was the first school awareness program in Kuwait that uses applied theater to engage students, inspire and motivate them to experience a positive change in behavior through kindness as a sustainable solution to overcoming bullying.
Bullying has negative consequences on the development of the child's personality and also affects academic performance and human capital, noting that the program helps students play an important role in finding a collective solution through social and emotional learning and teaching them basic skills such as communication, cooperation and problem solving in creative ways and thinking, she clarified.
The Boomerang program targets 5,611 students in the academic year 2019-20, supported by the private education sector in the Ministry of Education as well as some private institutions, she explained. (end) mrf.lr