In this generation, one of the main situations that cause confusion between us, is nothing but migration. And sometimes we forget the whole story behind it, causing confusion and division between us.
You see, they were survivors, like an abandoned child who has no father. They move around like a phone with no power, looking for a charger to connect and bring the family together.
As a child, I could not understand this.
Is this how the world is or that’s how life is?
I guess so, cause at the age of five was when my parents left.
Like birds flying around to find a new nest.
I have to confess, the place they lived in was good but was still a mess.
I was like, “Mama, why would you leave?” “Papa, why would you leave?” You knew this was one of my biggest fears.
So I cried every day, looking through the gate to hear their voices and footsteps again.
Selfishness, I was blinded by my own needs and forgot that everything they were doing was because of me.
But I had a dream.
Just like Martin Luther, I had a dream.
That one day I was going to move to a nation that was going to change me. And 2007 was when they flew me in
To a nation that I have never been to.
So confused, I could never think
With racism hovering around me.
Choking, I couldn’t breathe
In a world that was supposed to change me. But it did, it changed me for the better
From a boy to a man and now look at who I am.
I have more than eight years of practical experience as a youth leader, creative director, facilitator, artist director, and with international youth mobilities and activities.
A while before that, my parents moved from Ghana to Ireland because they believed it was the best place to raise a family, and I followed after them. As a young Afro-European, I have faced a lot of abuse from the moment I entered Europe. It was racism. That was the first time I heard that word. I didn’t really know what it meant because, in Africa, you never encounter racism.I am Tunisian. My parents are Tunisian nationals. But I was born in Saudi Arabia. My parents migrated to give us a better life and better education. I integrated the education system in Saudi Arabia for 3 years. But I faced many problems and discrimination as we were seen as migrants, nothing more. As a first step, my parents decided to enroll me in a private school. But discrimination kept being flagrant and annoying. So my parents decided to send me live in Tunisia with my relatives so I can enjoy an equal treatment. Another reason behind this decision was the integration in the Tunisian society. To Since the Tunisian education system operates in French language, which is not the case in Saudi Arabia, it was necessary to integrate the Tunisian educational system as soon as possible to learn the French Language.
While some of us – like me and my family- migrate due to personal and professional reasons, many other people have no choice, as they are escaping death because of the ongoing armed conflicts. It is sad to know that more than 70 million people are displaced and deprived from their basic rights like education and employment. Another sad fact is that only 50% of refugees’ children have access to education according to UNHCR. My dream is an equal chance in education for all migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. To follow my dream, I have decided to migrate to Greece. A country suffering from a migrant and refugee crisis. I believe that I can give a hand to all non-governmental organizations operating in the field. I integrated Faros Horizon Center as researcher. My job is to analyze employment opportunities for refugees in the Greek labor market and recommend adjustments in Faros education curriculum which can enhance refugees’ integration in Greece. I have now the chance to volunteer as English teacher and computer literacy teacher to help children refugees have the basic skills their peers have.
We can all agree that refugees didn’t choose to leave their countries. It is not fair to deprive them from their basic rights on education and employment. It is necessary for refugees to receive equal treatment in the destination country.
This is what I will keep fighting for. Because I believe in what Warren Edward Buffet said “If you are in the luckiest 1% of humanity, you owe it to the rest of humanity to think about the other 99%.” At the same time, I learned a lot about humanity and the ability to love humanity unconditionally, in difficult times and happy times. I met people who motivated, inspired, mentored, and empowered me to be the person I am today. They helped me realize that not everyone in the world hated me. And the people who send hate toward me because of my skin color and culture have motivated me to advocate for inclusive and diverse communities at the local, national, and international levels to build a stronger society. And then there are the testimonies of people talking about the impact I have had in their lives. I would not have attained these achievements if I did not counter hate with love, no matter what.
This knowledge I attained is what gives me hope that my dream can actually come true. It will be achieved if you educate the youth on erasing separation and isolation from our societies. As the famous saying goes, “The youth are the future of this world,” and since they are the future, they are the only ones that can make this dream a reality. This is something I’m really hopeful for.
The dream of an inclusive and accepting world has made me passionate about promoting youth empowerment, community development, human rights education (HRE), social inclusion, the integration and diversity of minorities in their communities, and combating hate speech and discrimination online and offline in Europe, Africa, and the rest of the world.
And all of this passion drives me to be motivated and focused on achieving my dream. My inspiration comes from the Big 6: Jesus Christ, Martin Luther King Jr., Bob Marley, Michael Jackson, Nelson Mandela, and my parents. They all show a strong passion and love for humanity and tackle injustice with love rather than hate.
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