"In Search Of El Dorado"Think about the man, Who is forced to leave his home, Where he saw his daughter grow up, Where his son would hold his hand and roam, Where his parents took their last breath. Because his homeland is at war, Peace,harmony and humanity is lost, Gunshots,bombs and men on a killing spree, He has to protect his family at any cost. Think about that family, That has to travel a thousand miles, Children's faces filled with fright and terror, Faces that once beamed with smiles, Hundreds of such families travel overseas, All of them looking for a safe place away from home, That's such a sad thing to do, But all they have to do is find refuge somewhere, and keep going even if they lose a dear one or two. Think about that young teenager, Who has gone abroad to study, Perhaps she's bullied because of her colour, But to comfort her there is nobody, She has to get accustomed to their culture and lifestyle. No food cooked by mother, No loving embraces by her father, She has to study and work part time, To fulfill the dreams her mother once had. Think about that young man, Who has left his village behind, To pay off his family debts and get his sister married, A decent job he has to find. To raise his standard of living, If only he could find the same lifestyle where he lived, How wonderful to him that seems, But he has to seize the opportunities other countries offer, He has to chase and live his dreams. Think about all those people, Who go away for various reasons, They leave their friends and family behind, Their life changes likes the changing seasons, Be it for political refuge,studying abroad, Exchange programs,travelling or economic reasons. So lets join hands together, For the safety and happiness of one another, To make the world a better place, Where peace and love is everywhere and everyone is safe. -Simran |
"Looking for home"I've lived in the same house for all of my 16 years. I love that I can still see alphabets scratched on the walls of my room in my 1st grade hand writing and marks that show how much I had grown. I'm beginning to realize that I'm very attached to these things and so when every newspaper was splashed with headlines about the refugee crisis and every news channel showed video clips of thousands getting out of untrustworthy boats and pictures of a young boy faced down on the sand I couldn't help but think about how they must have left home. 12 million people left behind everything they had ever known for peace,for shelter,for jobs and for safety.
Policy experts say this is the largest humanitarian crisis since World War 2 with nearly 4 million Syrians having fled from the country.More than 5,00,000 people have crossed to Europe by sea and land so far this year due to the Syrian War. European countries such as Germany, Britain, Turkey, Hungary and France are being bombarded with thousands of refugees looking for asylum everyday. According to the UN the total cost of providing basic necessities to the refugees will sum upto around $8.4 billion. Countries are still struggling to provide assistance to the billions who have fled their homes. More than 200,000 Syrians have lost their lives trying to save themselves. The cause of all this sadness,turmoil,loss,chaos and trouble is war. The civil war that began in 2011 has ruined lives and broken families,it has taken away mothers and children and siblings. The war in Syria is taking place between the long serving Syrian government and those seeking to boot it out of office. There have been innumerable civilian casualties with the war getting so heated up that neither side cares about the safety of the civilians. The Syrian people are trapped between the regime,rebel groups and religious extremists. Human Rights such as the right to food and the right to education are being violated. Even refugees living in camps in nearby countries are subjected to hunger,diseases and cold due to the shortage of amenities. What might be shocking is that a lot of the refugees are educated people with degrees,passports and credit cards only leaving their country in search for a better life. The war is still on,people are still migrating,families are still being shattered. The world is waiting to see what happens next. All we can do is look at the scarring pictures,read the heart wrenching articles and pray for a better tomorrow. "Hurt people hurt people. That's how pain patterns get passed on, generation after generation after generation. Break the chain today. Meet anger with sympathy, contempt with compassion, cruelty with kindness. Greet grimaces with smiles. Forgive and forget about finding fault. Love is the weapon of the future." -Yehuda Berg. - Rhea |
Excerpts from a conversation with Aman Badani:
1. When did you migrate?
I migrated to Ethiopia, Addis Ababa when I was just a young man, about 18 years of age in 1989.
2. Was your reason of for migration better professional opportunities and economic success?
Indeed, Ethiopia at the time was under a totalitarian leader, Mengistu Haile Mariam and many sought it unsafe to migrate to a nation governed by a mad man but my older brother came here a few years back and they had found success here in Addis.
Since not many came to do business, there were a lot of opportunities during this time to monopolize businesses and push marginal profits. Mengistu was losing power against an opposing Tigray (region in Ethiopia) party named TPLF, which would soon come to power completely in 1991.
3. Are you happy with the migration?
Undeniably, this country despite its hardships did help me come out on top since now I have a family of six. Of course there were hardships, but in time it all became better after 1992.
4. How have you accustomed to the shift?
It was important for me to learn the common language here, Amharic. It would help me communicate with all my staff at home, shops, and negotiate with local businesspersons.
5. What are the cultural changes you have noticed?
The cultural backgrounds of India and Ethiopia are very similar with family values, friends and respecting elders. People are more caring here and one would not feel unsafe anywhere, anytime.
6. Did you migrate voluntarily?
No, circumstances forced me to move from my country (India) due to financial issues.
7. Do you face any tug of war between your roots and the new culture?
Not in the slightest, it is very similar and people are respectful to my home culture here.
8. If given an opportunity, would you shift back?
No, I’m very settled in Ethiopia. I have my work, family and friends here and it is the people that make the place.
9. State some boons and curses of your shift.
a. Totalitarian rule
b. Unsafe at first
c. Work permit
d. Capital problems
10.Do you find any kind of racism?
No,because Ethiopia being a so called black nation in Africa,racism is non existent.
1. When did you migrate?
I migrated to Ethiopia, Addis Ababa when I was just a young man, about 18 years of age in 1989.
2. Was your reason of for migration better professional opportunities and economic success?
Indeed, Ethiopia at the time was under a totalitarian leader, Mengistu Haile Mariam and many sought it unsafe to migrate to a nation governed by a mad man but my older brother came here a few years back and they had found success here in Addis.
Since not many came to do business, there were a lot of opportunities during this time to monopolize businesses and push marginal profits. Mengistu was losing power against an opposing Tigray (region in Ethiopia) party named TPLF, which would soon come to power completely in 1991.
3. Are you happy with the migration?
Undeniably, this country despite its hardships did help me come out on top since now I have a family of six. Of course there were hardships, but in time it all became better after 1992.
4. How have you accustomed to the shift?
It was important for me to learn the common language here, Amharic. It would help me communicate with all my staff at home, shops, and negotiate with local businesspersons.
5. What are the cultural changes you have noticed?
The cultural backgrounds of India and Ethiopia are very similar with family values, friends and respecting elders. People are more caring here and one would not feel unsafe anywhere, anytime.
6. Did you migrate voluntarily?
No, circumstances forced me to move from my country (India) due to financial issues.
7. Do you face any tug of war between your roots and the new culture?
Not in the slightest, it is very similar and people are respectful to my home culture here.
8. If given an opportunity, would you shift back?
No, I’m very settled in Ethiopia. I have my work, family and friends here and it is the people that make the place.
9. State some boons and curses of your shift.
a. Totalitarian rule
b. Unsafe at first
c. Work permit
d. Capital problems
10.Do you find any kind of racism?
No,because Ethiopia being a so called black nation in Africa,racism is non existent.
These videos have been linked from YouTube to give a brief insight to what is actually happening in Syria.
Who is fighting and why ?
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The refugee crisis.
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“Remember, remember always, that all of us, and you and I especially, are descended from immigrants and revolutionists.” (Franklin Delano Roosevelt).
It is said that the "Aryans" came from Central Asia to the Indian subcontinent and settled here.
Today there are 1.1 billion Indians in the world. Scattered everywhere.
Till date, there are a lot of 1st gen immigrants in the US, Canada, the EU. The existing population thinks of them as aliens and brand them as immigrants, little do they realise that they themselves have descended from immigrants and it is they, who have made their residing country where it is today.
The world is our home. The one thing we can relate to most is the earth. It's a different debate that we have divided it into chunks and established borders. We might be of different colours and sizes, but inside we all have the same blood, we all have the same set of organs, most importantly, we all feel; which is what makes us human.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt was a great president, and a greater man. This quote that he has written has so much meaning, it makes all of us realise that our nationalities are irrelevant, in the end there's only one thing that is relevant, and that's your understanding, your compassion.
-Mahin and Kinnali
Today there are 1.1 billion Indians in the world. Scattered everywhere.
Till date, there are a lot of 1st gen immigrants in the US, Canada, the EU. The existing population thinks of them as aliens and brand them as immigrants, little do they realise that they themselves have descended from immigrants and it is they, who have made their residing country where it is today.
The world is our home. The one thing we can relate to most is the earth. It's a different debate that we have divided it into chunks and established borders. We might be of different colours and sizes, but inside we all have the same blood, we all have the same set of organs, most importantly, we all feel; which is what makes us human.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt was a great president, and a greater man. This quote that he has written has so much meaning, it makes all of us realise that our nationalities are irrelevant, in the end there's only one thing that is relevant, and that's your understanding, your compassion.
-Mahin and Kinnali
One should really ponder over this quote and read it to themselves again and again till the time they truly feel this way.Once upon a time there was no Indian,no American,no Australian,no Syrian,no German. We were all just strange creatures evolving into even stranger people that we are today. So let's get back to our roots,lets remember what the great Roosevelt had to say. You and I and everyone around us are all immigrants in some way or the other.
So let's forget about all of this for a while.Lets just stop being so judgmental. Let's stop being influenced by what the politicians or the media has to say about every issue that takes place in this world. For a minute,think about all the homeless people,all the people dying of no shelter,of starvation,of unhygienic conditions,think about all the lives lost.Was it all worth it? I don't think so. So just think about what Roosevelt had to say.All of us are immigrants and revolutionaries.But we can make a choice between ignoring this fact and continue to be inhuman to one another or go back to where we started as one big family and make this world a better place.What do you choose? -Simran |
A Few Notes,
Firstly, My group and I would like to give everyone who has worked on this project a pat on their back.
Everyone in my group liked how, many of the European school's participants interacted with migrants/refugees and gave us an insight on their situation first hand. I also have great admiration for all the students who themselves were refugees who came forward and wrote their personal stories for us to read on the Internet, to get some closure and gain knowledge on this impending and shameful tragedy we, globally have faced for a long time. -Mahin |
This marks the end of our wonderful eumind journey! Oh, it has been such a great one full of new experiences that have enriched and helped our minds grow. Until now human rights was just something we studied at school,but it has now become an issue the four of us have become very sensitive to. We are lucky to have been exposed to so many stories and so much information about a topic we probably wouldn't have known so much about otherwise. We'd like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have made this possible.
We'd like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have made this possible. We are grateful to have been given such an opportunity !! - Rhea |
Our research journey.
This project for us was a big responsibility on our shoulders as it tested our views about this delicate topic called "migration" which is so closely related to human rights; so we had to make sure that our facts were correct and our research process was on track.
At first we started like any other group would start,using, of course, the Internet.
We went back into the papers and read many articles about migration and so many stories and real life incidents of the refugees.
YouTube was of great help to us as we saw innumerable videos on migration and refugee crisis from time immemorial. But we did not want to confine ourselves only to the World Wide Web and hence we looked for great stories outside of our laptop screens. We drew inspiration from a lot of movies, saw a few documentaries on TV and much more. But as they say, you can never really understand what the other person is going through until you feel their emotions yourself,and you can certainly feel them when they themselves narrate their stories to you.Hence we got busy in doing a few interviews and we were totally moved by what they had to say.
We saw, we read, we felt, we sympathized, we smiled, we felt sad, we felt proud, but most importantly we felt aware and that now it's our time to make a difference and to make this world a home for everyone.
- Simran and Kinnali
About us...
A Brief Intro
Say hi to Mahin, Rhea, Simran and Kinnali. They are part of the Gregorios group 1 for EUMIND. |
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That's Simran, she's your typical teenager obsessed with books, music and movies. She loves to pour out her thoughts and emotions through her writing.
She joined EUMIND so she could meet new people of the same age. |
That's Mahin, the group editor, cameraman and photographer. He loves taking photos of anything owing to his inquisitive nature. He also loves debating and participating in MUNs.
He joined EUMIND so that make friends and to know how the work culture is in Europe. |
That's Rhea, she is the outgoing and talkative one. She takes solace in reading and writing.
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That's Kinnali,the artsy one, she loves to draw and paint and she would love to have some of her work over here. She is very patient and a natural at art.
She joined EUMIND so she can better her understanding of life outside India and whether teens face similar barriers they do in India. |