Fahma Mohamed and Lisa Zimmermann, project manager of Integrate Bristol met with UN General Secretary Ban Ki-moon.
Ban Ki-moon pledged his support to Fahma and the anti FGM campaign. He pledged to do whatever necessary to support the fight against FGM. The head of the UN highlighted “We should send out a message to the world that this abhorrent practice of FGM must end.”
Ban-Ki-moon to Fahma – “You are the hope of our future!”
Photos by Oliver Zimmermann
Ban Ki-Moon, “As UN Secretary General I have been taking this gender empowerment, the human rights of women and girls, violence against women and girl as my top priority. I will add my voice and strength to your very noble campaign.”
He asked Fahma if there was any message he could convey to the UN member states, who are meeting for International Woman’s Day in New York in March. To which she replied: “We want people to realise that education is key and that is the only way to break the cycle of abuse, and stop the next generation of people doing this.”
Ban Ki-moon: “That’s very important, as you know in 2012 I launched Global Education First, (with former UK PM Gordon Brown and in reference to Malala’s campaign for education), what terrorists fear most, is the power of education”.
At the end of the meeting Fahma handed Ban Ki-moon three DVDs made by the young people of Integrate Bristol and one of the infamous FDL keyrings. The Guardian, who were also present, and praised for their part in using creative journalism to support an important cause, gave the UN leader small silver tin – inside was a USB stick with a compilation of the recent FGM campaign story.
Fahma also gave Ban Ki-moon’s wife an FDL keyring and was in turn presented with a jewellery box, signed by the UN General Secretary. If you want to see pictures of what Fahma was given or more information please like Integrate Bristol on Facebook.
