Standing Ovation for Ayusa YES Student at Annual Conference

Every year, Ayusa chooses an exceptional exchange student to speak at their Annual Conference. The conference is an opportunity for Ayusa field staff from across the country, overseas partners, and representatives from the Department of State to gather, share insights, and learn how to better the program.

The student speaker addresses everyone at the conference to highlight the impact of student exchange. This student usually exemplifies what the exchange experience means and the impact that it has on not only the host community but also the world.

Immediately, one student came to everyone’s mind: Ayusa YES student Eman from Pakistan. All year long, Eman has made the best of her experience, given back to her community, and been an ambassador of Pakistan. Eman immediately jumped into community service in her host community in Idaho. She was featured on the Ayusa website previously for her volunteering, where she shared that “country boundaries are meaningless and that what truly matters is humanity - WHICH HAS NO BORDERS.”

Eman continued to break down barriers in her community, especially during the Pakistani school attack back in December. Eman rallied her classmates to show solidarity with those grieving in Pakistan by wearing black arm bands. She also showed great maturity by educating the public in an interview on the attacks, and how they did not define Pakistan: “I just want to show that this is not us. This is not Pakistan. This is not what my religion preaches”.

Read Eman's speech that she gave at the Ayusa Annual Conference!