UNICEF KSU hosted a Crisis in Syria Simulation event Tuesday, giving students a chance to see what life is like for Syrian citizens on a daily basis.

Attendees split into groups where they received a card telling them about their life, background and family in Syria. The attendees were given items that represented their health and food. The goal for each person was to survive a hypothetical week and make it to a country where they would be safe, navigating scenarios like a lack of healthcare, airstrikes and displacements.

Emily Brodke, president of UNICEF KSU, said she hopes that the event gave students the chance to see the more human side of the crisis in Syria.

“We hope this event will change how students view the crisis in Syria by showing them that the people going through this terrible situation are really not much different from us here in the United States,” Brodke said. “These are people that had homes, families, jobs, aspirations, hobbies, friends and dreams just like we do, and they’re caught in the middle of a horrendous crisis.”

The event focused on the day-to-day lives of individuals living in Syria. The participants faced decisions that could alter the rest of their experience.

“We want this issue to become important enough to students that it changes how people think about Syrian refugees,” Brodke said. “By increasing awareness, students can relay the message to our government that people in Syria need help. They need it now and they are welcome in the United States.”

David Solberg, a senior English major, attended the event to learn more about the reality of life in Syria.

“Being at this event is another way of connecting empathetically with the plight of these people,” Solberg said. “The event really helped me to understand the situation and develop compassion.”

UNICEF KSU meets every Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. in Bowman Hall room 221. The group focuses on current humanitarian issues that the world’s children are facing, working to educate, advocate and fundraise on campus and in the community.

Proceeds from the Crisis in Syria event are being donated to both UNICEF and the Karam Foundation. To find more information about organizations that work with Syrian refugees visit www.karamfoundation.org or www.whitehelmets.org.