Books Not Bombs

The world is witnessing the highest levels of displacement we have ever seen. An unprecedented 65.3 million people globally have been forced from home—among them are nearly 21.3 million refugees, over half of whom are children. Many are fleeing war or persecution in their homeland and will never return. Specifically concerning Syria, an estimated 100,000 college-age Syrian students are out of school in neighboring countries, and hundreds of thousands more are struggling to get a quality education. With no end to the conflict in sight, it is crucial that we come together to find ways to give Syrian children the education they need. Launched in 2016 by Students Organize for Syria (SOS) as a response to the Syrian education crisis, what started off as a handful of students is now a movement involving over 20,000 students at more than 190 universities in America and around the world. The main aim of the campaign is to create at least one scholarship opportunity open to a displaced Syrian student and advertise that through the Institute of International Education’s Syria Consortium for Higher Education in Crisis (hereafter called the IIE Syria Consortium). Books Not Bombs focuses on advocating for Syrian students by influencing universities to waive tuition for a certain number of displaced students. The Consortium is a clearinghouse with opportunities that are available to Syrian students, making them easier for a potential applicant to find. The campaign also works to raise awareness of the education crisis for the hundreds of thousands of Syrian students out of school, in Syria and in the refugee diaspora throughout the Middle East, Europe, North America and elsewhere. Today, Books Not Bombs is active at over 190 universities, mainly in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom. It is supported by more than 20,000 student organizers and supporters, who engage their campus communities and leaders in dialogue through demonstrations, petition-drives, resolutions, fundraisers, and educational events. Student organizers have achieved significant victories, resulting in universities such as Barnard College, Michigan State University and the University of Southern California creating scholarship opportunities for Syrian refugee students.