High school student speaks out on bullying and discrimination in Limassol

Rimas Ejbara, a high school student in Limassol, publicly testified about experiences with racism and bullying at her school during a conference titled 'Building a society without racism'. Ejbara reported that she faced exclusionary behavior, such as peers questioning her right to attend school events or participate in musical performances due to her background and religion. She stated that she was a target of systematic bullying by male classmates because of her attire. According to Ejbara, she reported these incidents to school authorities multiple times, but was advised to ignore the perpetrators, which she claims did not stop the harassment. She further alleged that a teacher exhibited prejudice against her Muslim identity, specifically pressuring her not to wear a hijab or listen to her parents. Conversely, another teacher described Ejbara as an excellent student with strong critical thinking skills and praised her courage to speak out. The school's response, as described by the student, involved speaking to the alleged bullies without imposing further disciplinary measures.