WORLD REFUGEE DAY 2021
From Idlib to London: our wall mural for World Refugee Day.
As an extension of our project to mark the 10 Year anniversary of the Syrian revolution, where some supporters of our campaign received paintings by Salem Al-trash (read about that here), we have adapted one of Salem’s works and turned it into a piece of wall art featuring Waad and Sama.
In Syria, graffiti is used as a ‘peaceful weapon’; a powerful way to share messages with meaning. We wanted to bring the use of art in this way to the streets of London, and to mirror this action with our friends in Idlib.
Repeating again, Waad’s message: “We dared to dream and we will not regret dignity,” this is an opportunity to for us to raise refugee voices - shine a light on those who have lived experiences of being forced to flee their homes; to remind people that being a refugee is not a choice.
As we look to the world - with situations like in Denmark - we we want you to join with us and make a stand for those who have lost their homes or are being forced to return to risk their lives once again. See how you can get involved below…
TAKE ACTION
Share our wall art
If you are in London, or close to, then please go and visit our wall art and take a photo or a video in front of the mural. Share it on social media with your message to refugees across the world / in Denmark - to know that you stand with them.
*The mural will be there until 30 June 2021.
Watch our story
Syria is our home, and our heart. We never wanted to leave.
We documented our story to show the world why why we were forced to flee. We made this for people to understand that being a refugee is NOT A CHOICE.
Sign the petition
The Danish government won’t negotiate with the criminal Assad regime. Refugees have been told to return 'voluntarily’ to Syria or be moved into prison-like deportation camps.
Join The Syria Campaign in telling Denmark ‘Syria is not safe for refugees to return. Reverse your shameful decision.’
WITH SPECIAL THANKS…
Turning our idea into a real life, work of art would never have been possible without the help of some of our friends and partners. The Syria Campaign, Choose Love and Dawlaty, thank you so much.
The Syria Campaign is a human rights advocacy organisation that supports Syria’s heroes in their struggle for freedom and democracy. The Syria Campaign is fully independent and is funded entirely by individuals and foundations.
Choose Love is a UK-based non-governmental organization which provides humanitarian aid to, and advocacy for, refugees around the world. In 2016, it became the largest grassroots distributor of aid in Europe.
Dawlaty is a nonprofit foundation that believes in nonviolence and peaceful resistance. Dawlaty works in partnership with Syrian organizations and solidarity groups, both on the ground and online, to document, advocate and build capacity for civil society groups and young people.
And thank you to Mohamed Bwedany for his design support. Explore his work here.
“The paint brush and pen have always been my peaceful weapon, through which I reflect the face of our civilization and the most important principles of our revolution in the right to express opinions freely.””