Thread
Yesterday evening, I co-hosted one of the most inspiring events of my entire life. Incredible people like @AlfDubs and some of Syria’s most talented musicians were featured. All of us were offered sanctuary, embraced and welcomed in the UK
Yesterday evening, I co-hosted one of the most inspiring events of my entire life. Incredible people like @AlfDubs and some of Syria’s most talented musicians were featured. All of us were offered sanctuary, embraced and welcomed in the UK
The UK has a long history of welcoming those fleeing some of the most brutal regimes and wars. From the Nazis in 1940s to those fleeing the war in my home country, Syria...
It was saddening to wake up to the news about the new proposed changes to the UK immigration/asylum law. All of those featured in the above video won’t be here today had this law been introduced earlier...
It’s so sad to see how the narrative has shifted in the UK since I arrived here in 2015. My early memories of the UK is when hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets to say “refugees welcome”...
This is literally my very first memory of the UK. Open, welcoming, caring and promising. This has always been my experience in/of the UK...
It’s just heartbreaking to see how the narratives are shifting. Blaming migrants and refugees and scapegoating them has become the norm over the past several months...
I arrived in the UK hiding in the back of a lorry! I couldn’t fly from Syria as it was impossible because I was wanted to the government because of my views. I was also denied the Syrian passport...
Most Syrians were refused a visa across the EU since the beginning of the war... People were left with little or no options...
The war in Syria is 10 years old today. If you’re a parent, you oriel understand that. 10 years of war... The ear is double the age of my youngest child...
People don’t leave for no reason... people choose to move because all the door have been shut... Syria’s neighbors are struggling... This is a global criss and need global cooperation...
Refugees don’t have the luxury of applying for visa’s. Most of us have lost everything, everything and most of us don’t have any documents as many were forced to flee and leave everything behind...
Some countries are not registering Syrians as refugee any more, most of the neighbouring countries have closed their doors and adopted harsher measures...
What are the legal pathways? Family reunion? I know of many people who have been waiting for years to join their families... some of them waited for several years and are still waiting...
Kids are separated from their parents... little or no hope of being reunited with their families under legal circumstances... what should people do?...
Resettlement? Globally, less than 1% of worlds refugees are being resettled. Since 2016 the situation got even worse... What options people are left with?...
In 2015 I was working in refugee camps in Iraqi Kurdistan, when WFP announced cutting food supplied due to lack of funding... people were pushed to the edge...
And now several countries are cutting their aid budget substantially... what options are people left with?....
Desperate people will do desperate things... desperate people are ready to cross seas, oceans and walk to the end of the world. This is what humans do. Who deny is this right?...
If there is anything broken it’s our political systems. The media and they appealing way they depict us. Scapegoating and scaremongering isn’t the solution for this...
I have to say that my experience in the UK since day one has been very positive. I was welcomed, o was granted the right to stay and rebuild my life again after losing everything back in Syria...
This country has embraced me. @RefugeesAtHome offered a place to stay @SOAS offered a scholarship to do my masters @NeilJamesonUK gave me the opportunity to learn how to organise. The list is long......
I, as a refugee, was given this opportunity because people have fought for the right to asylum. It’s my duty to stand up and fight for this right... I learned to never take anything for granted... it could be you, or your kids who would become refugees. Would you deny them this?
Don’t take anything for granted. Don’t deny people the right to sanctuary, the right to survive and thrive...
It’s me, and my fellow people today. It could be you, your kids or your grandchildren in the future. Refugees aren’t the enemy, they aren’t the problem. You’re enemy and the problem is the one who made them refugees.
I apologies for the incoherent tweets. It’s been a tough year... I just felt so much pain towards what’s happening here and elsewhere. Take lots of care everyone and stay safe.
*apologise*
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
