Western societies abound with a large number of Arab students and researchers in various fields, who play important roles in the educational system there, not only at the research and academic level, but also at the administrative and leadership level during and after university studies.
Among these leaders, an American of Egyptian descent, Bayan Galal (19), who became the first Arab and Muslim to hold the position of President of the Student Union at Yale University in the United States, throughout the university's 320-year history.
"Sanad" agency for news verification on Al-Jazeera network interviewed this Muslim student to get to know her closely, and asked her about the impact of her Arab and Islamic upbringing on her leadership personality, how to reduce Islamophobia, and her goals during her current presidency.
And the text of the conversation:
I hope to increase representation of Muslims and other minorities on the Yale College Board, and that I can encourage other marginalized groups to increase their presence on student councils, and in politics more broadly, increase representation in projects that affect our communities.
As an Arab woman, I hope to use my position to ensure that diverse cultures are celebrated at Yale, minority voices are highlighted, and I believe I will be able to bring to the table many topics important to minority groups that have not previously been addressed. As the first Muslim and Arab in this position, I must make sure that I use this time to raise issues that matter to our societies.