October 10, 2017 - The Action Group (TAG) hosted a workshop to discuss the importance of volunteering at times of political and social conflict. The event was supervised by the Center for Gender and Development Studies (CGDS).
Renowned actor, producer, and director, Mr. Shwan Atuf, was a speaker at the event. He spoke about his experiences as an artist and activist. Atuf gave students an idea of how volunteering can help change the society and make the community a better place. He stressed the importance of putting one’s own hobbies and interests into use, by producing creative projects that have a social impact and will bring change. He then focused his speech on the advantages of volunteering in terms of gaining knowledge and achieving future goals.
Expanding your ability to do work without expecting things in return helps revive trust and a sense of community. Everyone has different ideas but these ideas need to be put into action so that the outcome is seen. Atuf shared some of his own projects and explained how he had to be creative in order to execute them on a small budget. As the event concluded, Mr. Shwan Atuf left the students with a question, “Why won’t you do voluntary work?” he asked, “What else will you do?” He stressed that the work will still get done without them, so why not be part of it? Several students volunteered to join TAG at the end of the seminar, showing their willingness to participate in various capacities.