On January 13 2021, Mr. Ramyar Ismail participated in a panel discussion at the conference “For a Better Future, We Work Voluntarily.” Held at the University of Raparin, the panelists discussed the importance of volunteering for young people. They defined the concept of volunteerism, provided supporting data for its effectiveness, and stressed its advantages in terms of mental health as well as practical matters such as building one’s CV. Mr. Ramyar serves as Research Assistant for CGDS’s five-year project on Masculinities in partnership with the London School of Economics, funded by the Global Challenge Research Fund.
Photo description: There are two photos. In one, we see three people seated in front of three flags and a banner with Kurdish text. To the left, a man with short dark hair and glasses speaks into a microphone that he holds with one hand; his other hand is raised in a gesture, palm facing out. Two women are to his right, one looking out into the audience and the other, who is wearing a mask, looking at the speaker. The other photo shows an audience of about eight rows, with about five people visible in each row. Almost everyone is looking forward. About a quarter of the audience, which is roughly equal in men and women, wears masks. Of the women, about half wear hijab. The room is white, with a large white pillar on the right and large glass doors to the rear. A few people are standing,