Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to recognize Canada's generous donors to UNICEF, and the work of UNICEF through its 128 Makani youth centres in Jordan. Jordan's schools cannot accommodate everyone by a long shot. UNICEF Jordan works in partnership with government and civil society to reach the most marginalized and vulnerable children, providing education and psychosocial support services.
I talked to many of these children when I visited a Makani centre in Amman. The children love their teachers. They long to go to regular school. They play soccer. They dream of going to university. They feel safe and secure at the Makani centre.
This year the World Refugee Day campaign is focused on displaced persons. Ban Ki-moon has said, “Refugees are people like anyone else, like you and me. They led ordinary lives before becoming displaced, and their biggest dream is to be able to live normally again.”
Together with all members, I would like to thank Canada's partners in addressing the global refugee crisis.