‘Refugee’ or ‘migrant’ – Which is right?
GENEVA, Aug 27 (UNHCR) – With more than 65 million people forcibly displaced globally and boat crossings of the Mediterranean still regularly in the headlines daily, the terms ‘refugee’ and ‘migrant’ are frequently used interchangeably in media...
Afghan teen journalist writes of courage and sorrow
With gunmen on his tail, 17-year-old Omid Ahmadi, a young journalist, fled Kabul without saying goodbye to his family. Now safe, he shared his journey in his own words. BAD FALLINGBOSTEL, Germany – We believe that water is life but sometimes it stands for the...
Berlin refugee guides show off cultural riches from home
BERLIN, Germany – A hush falls over the small group of visitors as it enters the cool, lofty hall filled with ancient stones. Museum guide Kefah Ali Deeb studies their expressions closely as they gaze at Syrian statues of lions, birds, scorpions and mysterious...
The man who changes lives
TORBALI, Turkey – One man can change lives. Just ask the Syrian refugees in Torbali, near Izmir, about the work of Levent Topçu. Levent, known to the refugees simply by his first name, is the 52-year-old general manager of Ege, a Turkish company that makes leather...
Young Syrian footballer aims high in Germany
Seven-year-old Ahmad escaped war and chaos in Syria. Now safe, he hopes to become an international football star and is watching the European championships closely for new tips. A wide, gappy grin spreads over Ahmad Alzaher’s youthful face. He gazes at his father,...
Jamal Mahmut dreams of finding a job to support his family
Jamal, 30 years old: “We are so thankful to Canada for bringing us here. We are originally from Al Qamishli in Syria, an area controlled by ISIS. We just moved to our new apartment in East Ottawa a few weeks ago. We are comfortable here, though we still have...
Solaf loves sports and dreams of living in America
Solaf, 9 years old: “My name is Solaf and I’m from Bosra in Syria. I remember my house there. It was big with a brown door. There was a garden outside with olive trees, lemon trees, orange trees and apple trees. We planted basil, thyme, chamomile, parsley, eggplants...
Mojtaba dreams of finding a cure for cancer
Mojtaba, 22 years old: “The journey to Europe was very tough. I was only 13 at the time. I lost my older brother on the way. He drowned on the crossing between Turkey and Greece. After that, I had to manage on my own. The hardest thing for me was not knowing who I...