Madrid – A group of students from Seville, Spain, have returned home after a nine-day educational visit to Sahrawi refugee camps, an experience that has brought the suffering of the Sahrawi people under Moroccan occupation into sharp focus.
The trip, designed to foster understanding and empathy, provided the Spanish students with a firsthand look at the harsh realities faced by Sahrawi children living in the camps. These camps, located in the Algerian desert, have been home to generations of Sahrawi refugees displaced by the ongoing conflict in Western Sahara.
During their visit, the students engaged with Sahrawi children, participated in cultural activities, and learned about the history of the conflict and the Sahrawi people’s struggle for self-determination. The experience highlighted the severe lack of resources, limited access to education and healthcare, and the psychological impact of living in a protracted refugee situation.
The students’ accounts paint a stark picture of daily life in the camps, emphasizing the resilience and determination of the Sahrawi people in the face of adversity. They spoke of the children’s unwavering hope for a better future and their deep connection to their cultural heritage.
Organizers of the educational visit hope that the students’ experiences will serve as a catalyst for raising awareness about the Sahrawi cause within Spain and across the international community. They believe that increased awareness is crucial to pressuring international bodies to take action and facilitate a just and lasting resolution to the Western Sahara conflict.
The visit underscores the importance of continued international support for the Sahrawi people and their right to self-determination. The long-standing dispute over Western Sahara remains a critical humanitarian issue, demanding urgent attention from the global community.
