@SALAM_DHR director Jawad Fairooz speech

during #Statelessness_Impact_Award (SIA) in Malta on 21.03.2026. The award winner was Ghada Al-Rayan is a Palestinian-Syrian human rights defender and legal researcher

SIA Speech 

Distinguished guests, partners, advocates, and friends,

Good evening.

Tonight, we are not only gathered here to celebrate achievement, but to recognise courage, persistence, and the power of human dignity.

Statelessness is often described in legal terms, defined in treaties and policies, and appearing in reports and statistics. But the reality of statelessness is not a statistic—it is a human story.

It is the story of a child who walks to school every morning but cannot enrolbecause he does not have a nationality.

It is the story of a young graduate who has the talent and determination to build a future but cannot legally work.

It is the story of parents who cannot register the birth of their child, knowing that the uncertainty they have lived with may now pass to the next generation.

For many people, nationality is something we rarely think about. It is simply there—printed on a passport, recorded in a birth certificate, quietly opening doors throughout our lives.

But for millions of people around the world, that small piece of recognition does not exist. Without it, everyday life becomes a series of barriers.

Yet within these challenges, we also see extraordinary resilience.

I once heard the story of a young woman who grew up stateless. Despite every obstacle—despite not being recognised by the country where she was born—she continued to study, to volunteer, and to advocate for others like her. When she was finally able to obtain citizenship,after years of advocacy and legal support, she described her excitement plainly: “For the first time, I felt like I existed.”

That moment—feeling seen, recognised, and rooted—is something many of us take for granted. But for stateless people, it can be life-changing.

And this is why the work we celebrate tonight matters so deeply.

The Statelessness Award honours individuals and organisations who refuse to accept invisibility as a permanent condition. People who believe that no human being should live outside the protection of the law. People who work tirelessly—often quietly and behind the scenes—to turn legal principles into real change in people’s lives.

Through advocacy, community organising, legal action, and policy reform. The message of this award is to deeply thank, express our highestgratitude, and show our utmostappreciation to those who have helped families register their children at birth, assisted individuals in finally obtainingcitizenship, and pressured governments to strengthen systems that prevent statelessness from happening altogether.

Behind each of these achievements are countless human stories.

A mother who can finally enrol her child in school.

A young person who can apply for their first job.

A family that can travel freely, open a bank account, or live without fear of being told that they do not belong.

These moments may seem small from the outside, but for the people who experience them, they represent something profound: dignity, security, and hope.

Our award recipients understand something fundamental—that ending statelessness is not only about legal status. It is about restoring a sense of belonging.

Their work reminds us that change happens because individuals choose to act. Because advocates refuse to give up. Because communities raise their voices. Because organisations and partners come together with a shared commitment to justice.

Tonight, we celebrate those who have made that commitment real.

But tonight is also a reminder that our work is not finished.

Millions of people are still waiting for recognition, still waiting for the chance to fully participate in the societies they call home. Ending statelessness requires persistence, collaboration, and the courage to challenge systems that leave people behind.

The good news is that progress is possible. Every nationality granted, every law reformed, every child registered at birth moves us closer to a world where everyone belongs.

To our award recipients: your work does more than change policies—it changes lives.

You restore hope where there was uncertainty. You create opportunities where there were barriers. And you remind the world that dignity and belonging should never depend on chance.

Thank you for your leadership, your compassion, and your determination.

Congratulations to tonight’s honourees, and thank you all for being part of this journey toward a world where no one is stateless.

Thank You