Daniel Kuol Paac came to the United States from South Sudan six years ago to get an education after surviving severe troubles in his home country. As a refugee, he relied on unreliable UN food aid, sometimes only eating one meal per day. He shares his experiences to remind students that many children around the world still live in difficult conditions without basic necessities, and it is the responsibility of future leaders to help those in need.

1. The Model United Nations Conference
Concord Academy, MA
Date: 04/09/2016
Hello Everyone:
I am Daniel Kuol Paac, and I come from South Sudan.
It’s a great honor to be here this morning as your keynote speaker.
I have been in the United States for almost six years. I came here in order to get an education.
Fortunately, I found people to help me. I have gone through Bunker Hill Community College
(BHCC), Harvard Extension School, UMASS Boston, and now I am a student at Tufts
University with scholarship.
My hope is to get a diploma and to return not only to be part of the development of South Sudan,
but also of Africa as a whole. That’s who I am.
What was my experience then as a refugee? Well, I lived through a time of severe troubles in my
former home country of Sudan. Many of us survived and many of us didn't survive. I along with
many others are fortunate to live to this day. I am a living testimony; I am a survivor.
As a refugee, I relied on the UNHCR food. Sometimes the food takes several months to arrive,
depending on the safety of the road. When there is a confrontation between the rebels of the Lord
Resistance Army (LRA) and the government of Uganda, the UN vehicles stop traveling.
Similar to that when it’s rainy season, the vehicles get stuck. As a result, one holds on to the
little food that may be there. I personally had the experience of eating one meal a day, if am
fortunate. Sometimes no food!
Well, what I have been through as a child, is what every internal displaced/refugee child is going
through right now—be it in Africa or the Middle East.
Africa has a lot of area for hope; and a lot of area that needs a lot of work; and my country is
where a lot of work has to be done.
There is a sort of sense of hopelessness as we see the death and exodus of hundred of thousands
of refugee children in our world today.
But, no action is being taken against the perpetrators. No one is taking the responsibility to stop
the death and influx of these innocent refugees.

2. In fact, the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) has failed its mandate, with Libya & Syria as the best
examples of the R2P failure.
Now, many of you here today may not understand how to live a life with no bed, no food, no
water, not knowing whether the military plane will come hovering over your head, not even
knowing whether you will be alive tomorrow.
Just remember there are many in the world of your age who are living under such conditions
today.
As rising future world ambassadors, our responsibility is to step out of our comfort-zone to
protect and help those that need our assistance.
Again, am honored to be here. Thank you so much for having me. May God bless you all.