It was an email from the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland (RCSI) with a link to a video of European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen delivering her maiden state of the union speech. “I think of Suaad, the teenage Syrian refugee who arrived in Europe dreaming of being a doctor,” von der Leyen said. ”Von der Leyen urged members of parliament to think of what Alshleh and others had overcome and achieved when considering the EU’s capacity to manage the question of migration. Her parents, mother Wesam Jouma and father Issam Alshleh - both engineers - beamed with pride when she secured enough points in the Leaving Cert to study medicine. “Suaad is an extraordinary role model for aspiring doctors across the world and we were delighted that president von der Leyen chose to acknowledge her achievements in such a high profile way,” he said.

Source: The Irish Times September 16, 2020 17:13 UTC