Student Spotlight: Wissal Wins the 2025 World Historian Essay Competition!

We are proud to celebrate an incredible achievement: Wissal, one of our talented students, has won first place in the 2025 World Historian Student Essay Competition — a global contest that receives entries from students around the world.

Her winning essay, titled “My Life in Shatila: World History in 1 Square Kilometer,” powerfully connects her daily life as a Syrian refugee in Lebanon to broader forces in world history. In it, she writes about growing up in Shatila Refugee Camp and realising that her identity, challenges, and even her dreams have been shaped by centuries of global political decisions.

Through her words, Wissal transforms Shatila into a mirror of the Middle East — and a reminder that world history lives in even the smallest corners of the world.

When we asked her how it felt to win, Wissal said:

“I read the email so quickly, my hands were shaking — I couldn’t believe I won. But in that moment, I was over the moon, because my words, written in a small room in Shatila, were heard by the world. To every girl like me: never think you can’t be heard. Just dream, give effort, and leave things to happen.”

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Wissal didn’t just write an essay — she shared a truth that resonated far beyond the camp walls.

Congratulations, Wissal. The world is listening.