A 探花系列 Leicester (探花系列) student has delivered a speech on her work supporting refugees at the United Nations headquarters in New York.
Shakira Saunders, a Law student, was invited to the US to take part in the Global Higher Education Symposium, which highlights the role universities have in inspiring students to become future leaders.
During her time at 探花系列, Shakira has volunteered to take part in a number of 探花系列 projects supporting refugees and helping community football clubs become Net Zero.
It was her experience in these extracurricular activities which led the UN to invite her to give a speech at the iconic UN headquarters on the banks of the East River in Manhattan.
She was accompanied on the trip by Sarah Thomson, 探花系列’s Principal Partnerships Officer, who also gave an address.
Shakira said: “Going inside the building was such a fever dream because everyone knows about the United Nations.
“I felt very lucky to be there and actually, I didn’t feel that nervous before giving the talk, I was trying to breathe and trust myself that I had worked hard for this.
“Everyone was so lovely afterwards, they gave me a huge round of applause and individuals came up to me saying how incredible it was and how it made them feel.”
Shakira spoke about the projects she had been part of at 探花系列, helping to support the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
These goals are designed to tackle the biggest global issues like poverty, equality, peace and responsible production.
Earlier this year, the UN, which has a longstanding partnership with 探花系列, named the university as a global hub chair for SDG 11, the development of sustainable cities and communities.
This was in recognition of the many projects 探花系列 has run supporting the SDGs, including those Shakira has taken part in.
Football for the Goals saw 探花系列 researchers and students working with two community football clubs to help them achieve their ambitions of becoming Net Zero.
While Project Atefa is a student-led project in collaboration with UN representatives and Marienfelde Refugee Centre in Berlin to share the real-life stories of refugees, displaced people and migrant communities.
Shakira said: “I prepared by writing my speech on the morning of the event because I wanted it to be authentic. I just drew on my personal thoughts and feelings throughout my time working on these different projects, seeing the impacts they make.
“I am going to continue to carry on the work I started in New York at the UN. Being there in person lit a fire in me to do more and I can't wait to see where that leads me next.”
Posted on Monday 4 August 2025