State Dept. selects Somali Muslim hijabi to represent American youth at UN
October 12,2017
The U.S. Department of State, in partnership with the United Nations Association of the USA (UNA-USA), is pleased to announce the selection of the sixth annual U.S. Youth Observer to the United Nations. Ms. Munira Khalif of Minnesota was chosen from a competitive pool of applicants that included top-ranked university students and young professionals from across the United States.
As the U.S. Youth Observer, I will work to ensure that young Americans have a seat at the table. I will leverage my platform to amplify the voices, ideas, and concerns of young Americans at global policy discussions.
As the year unfolds, I look forward to connecting with young people from across the country to hear about the global issues that are at the forefront of their minds. I hope that over my tenure I will be able to instill a sense of global citizenship. We live in a globalized world and our futures and lives are more interconnected than ever before. Being a global citizen means caring about not only what is happening within our own borders — but also outside of them. Because the problems of others can quickly become our own. We must speak out where others have been silent. We must take action where others have stood still. We must shine our own light in the hopes of illuminating the way for others.
Will she heed her own words and shine a light on the oppressive and violent doctrines that dominate Islam? Will she speak out on FGM, honor killing, child marriage and polygamy, blasphemy, and apostasy where others have been silent? Will she broach the subject of why her parents had to flee Somalia?
If her twitter feed is any indication don’t count on it or her representing American youth either.
She is right about one thing: “the problems of others can quickly become our own.”
Too bad she won’t have the courage to address it.