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Hundreds of students from Æß²ÊÖ±²¥ Leicester (Æß²ÊÖ±²¥) are in New York to help launch a global United Nations initiative to offer worldwide support to refugees.

The university has been asked by the UN to take the lead in engaging the higher education sector worldwide to be part of its Together campaign.

It has therefore flown hundreds of its students out to New York to embark on a variety of academic trips and visits around the city, and inviting universities from across the world to a launch event at the UN headquarters today.

The summit will encourage debate on the current challenges for safety and dignity faced by refugees in local communities and universities, led by Æß²ÊÖ±²¥, will share ideas for practical ways they can use the skills, experience and voluntary power on their campuses to support those in need in their local areas.

A UN Together Action Charter will be created for partner universities to sign at the event.

Æß²ÊÖ±²¥ has been chosen for the work it currently does in its local Leicester community providing support to refugees and people of all abilities and backgrounds across society.

The event will be shown live on the Æß²ÊÖ±²¥ website from 3pm UK time, to view the live stream

Æß²ÊÖ±²¥ Vice-Chancellor Professor Dominic Shellard said: “The Together campaign fits perfectly with Æß²ÊÖ±²¥’s vision and our belief in the important role of universities as a force for public good.

“Æß²ÊÖ±²¥ defines itself by its diversity and being welcoming and open to all. We are a university which works for the public good and so we are hugely proud and excited to have been asked to lead this campaign.

“We are looking forward to collaborating with universities from across the world to make a real difference to the way refugees are treated.”

The UN Together launch on January 9 forms the culmination of a week-long visit by Æß²ÊÖ±²¥, which has seen hundreds of Æß²ÊÖ±²¥ students and staff participate in a packed programme of academic activities which will bring the learning on their courses to colourful life.

Film Studies students have visited the Museum of the Moving Image to learn about the history of cinema, Architecture students have been given a tour of the Oculus building by the architect who designed it and Engineering students have seen construction on the biggest scale at the Skyscraper Museum and Intrepid Sea Air and Space Museum.

Æß²ÊÖ±²¥ has a proud history of helping less fortunate members of the community. In the last five years, Æß²ÊÖ±²¥’s volunteering programme has grown to deliver more than 120 activities and projects and almost 6,000 students have collectively contributed more than 85,100 hours of their time.