Gurvin, your Post Graduate Education Officer Graduates in Style
Yesterday after a rousing speech infront of 1000s of her peers, Gurvin Chopra your Post Graduate Education Officer graduated with a masters in Human Rights law and was the first person in her family to go to school.
Gurvin Chopra, whose parents fled religious persecution in Afghanistan, made a speech to a crowd of around 1,000 graduating students and their loved ones, in which she spoke about what a “privilege it is to pursue an education”.
Gurvin's parents – Jaspal and Waryam Chopra – were forced to leave their home country in 2000 by the Taliban because of their Sikh religion.
Although neither received any education, and cannot read or write, they encouraged Gurvin and her two younger siblings to work hard at school.
Growing up in west London, Gurvin would read the family’s post, fill out their forms and read books to her brother and sister. These early experiences propelled her toward a career in law.
“In their youth my parents weren’t really allowed to participate in education,” Gurvin said. “My grandfather died young and my dad had to work, and there was a cultural element of what a woman’s place was. Despite that, they’ve always seen the value in education.
“I always saw education as a way out and a way of making myself different form the women I saw growing up, who often didn’t work.
“I’ve found education really empowering in breaking away from that, developing a voice and helping the people around me.”
Now working hard as an elected officer for Bristol SU, Gurvin has also set-up a charity, The Beathard Project, you can find out more about her work by clicking on the link.
Congratulating the graduating class, she said: “For me, as an Afghan woman, the significance of this day cannot be overstated. In Afghanistan, women and girls have been denied the right to an education, the right to be seen and heard. These are privileges that I, through education, have been fortunate to receive and foster.
“As the only educated woman in my family, it is an honour and privilege to have earned my master's in human rights law. It is through my education that I have been able to see first-hand how access to education can be life-changing, in providing a voice, freedoms and, most importantly, choices.
“So, as we all celebrate the end of this chapter, we must remember the power education has in transforming lives, and more importantly the privileges we hold and the responsibilities we bear in ensuring that these opportunities are available to all.”
From all the staff at Bristol SU, we would like to congratulate Gurvin on her remarkable achievement! An inspiration to all!
