October 11, 2024 

Dear Ghassan, 

On behalf of ECDAN’s Executive Leadership Council and the Secretariat, we hope that you,  your team, and family members are staying safe and holding up during these incredibly  challenging times. We want to take a moment to say we are thinking about you and your team  and to express our support and deep appreciation for your unwavering commitment to  advocating for the children impacted by the ongoing war in Gaza, across the Middle East, and  around the world. It is not easy to keep pressing forward amidst an expanding war and such  suffering and adversity, but your work in raising awareness, mobilizing resources, and  influencing change is truly impactful. 

The stories of loss of life, displacement, spreading disease, and destruction coming out of the  region are horrifying and heartbreaking. We cannot imagine what you are all going through  with Lebanon now engulfed in the expanding war in the region. Please know that your efforts  are vital, and we stand with you to give voice to those who need it most currently. Your  dedication is a testament to the difference that compassion, commitment, and tireless  advocacy can make. 

Several ECDAN partners are working on the ground and doing what they can but clearly it is  insufficient given the huge need. Please let us know if there is any way we can support you— whether it is sharing resources, brainstorming ideas, or simply being a listening ear. If you can  still communicate, please do not hesitate to reach out. We want you to know that we stand  with you and that you are supported by all of us as you continue your work in these  challenging and difficult times. 

With warm regards:

• Executive Leadership Council Chairs: Lynette Okengo and Borhan Shakeroun
• Executive Director of the General Secretariat: Elizabeth Lule

Dr. Ghassan Issa:

• General Coordinator of the “Arab Network for Early Childhood”
• Member of the “Executive Leadership Council of the Global Network”
• Member of the “Steering Committee of the Global Network”

ECDAN is a Global Network focused on improving outcomes for young children and their caregivers. The Early Childhood Development Action Network’s (ECDAN’s) mission is to catalyze collective action with and for young children and their caregivers by connecting and aligning partners, sharing knowledge and good practice, and advocating for better policies, more resources, and accountability for results.

The “Global Action Network for Early Childhood Development” (ECDAN) comprises over 4,000 specialists, academics, experts, and field workers, along with 300 institutions dedicated to the development, care, education, and protection of young children worldwide.

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