AYHAM: “WHEN ONE DOOR CLOSES, ANOTHER ONE OPENS.”

Were you afraid during your escape? What reminds you most about home here in the Netherlands? What future do you dream about? Your students can ask these and other questions to Sahar, Ayham, Mohamed, Qorban, Yaman and others, who share their personal stories.

We offer two options: a 30-minute program to complement the Journey of a Refugee or a separate 60-minute program. Both programs focus on the personal story of a refugee.

The Encounter – 30 minutes

During the encounter, Sahar, Ayham, Mohamed, Oorban, Yaman or another speaker will tell their personal story. This is divided into three periods: life in their home country, their journey, and life in the Netherlands. Students have ample opportunity to ask questions. This educational program can be booked in combination with the Journey of a Refugee only. The combination of both program enhances the students’ understanding and appreciation of complex humanitarian themes.

The Encounter – 60 minutes

The focus of this program is the story of Sahar, Ayham, Mohamed, Qorban, Yaman or another speaker, but – just as we do with the Journey of a Refugee – we prepare for this conversation with a substantive introduction. How many refugees are there in the world? Which countries offer them shelter? Where do they flee to? Your students thus learn about the context in which to place the speaker’s story.

Greater understanding

Your students discover that ‘a refugee’ is a human being just like them, with dreams, feelings and fears. Somebody who goes to school or work, likes to spend time with family and friends, and just have fun. In short: a refugee leads a life that is not all that different from theirs.