Stories of Belonging 50 Interviews

Anecdotes that highlight the value of connecting with and embracing others

A collection of over fifty audio recorded stories told by Syrian and Iraqi migrants in Europe that shed light on the experiences and factors that help nurture a sense of belonging among individuals displaced from their homeland.

Tasneem Abdalrazaq

I am Tasneem, born in Syria, of Palestinian origin. I am of twenty-two opinions, twenty-two chances, twenty-two experiences, and perhaps many more things besides. I...

Joseph Makdisie

My name is Joseph Makdisie and I’m 29 years old. I’m Syrian and I’ve been living in Luxembourg for about 5 years. I studied civil...

Haneen Khalili

My name is Haneen Khalili; I’m from Iraq. I’m 26 years old and I have a degree in journalism from the Media Faculty. I was...

Manar Alhashemi

Manar is 30 years old and lives in Norway. This is a translation of the transcript of his recorded story: "I am Manar Alhashemi from...

Abdallah Huseen

Abdallah is 34 years old and lives in Italy. This is a translation of the transcript of his recorded story: "My name is Abdullah Huseen...

Ahmad Elsheikh

Ahmad Elsheikh is 41 years old and lives in Germany. This is a translation of the transcript of his recorded story: "I am Ahmad Khader...

Nour Kayali

Nour Kayali lives in Austria. This is a translation of the transcript of her recorded story: Whenever she sent me a message, she would say:...

Amjad Job

Amjad Job is 32 years old and lives in Germany. This is a translation of the transcript of his recorded story: "My name is Amjad...

Hadeel Alsamman

I am Hadeel and I am 21 years old. I am from Damascus, Syria. I came to Sweden in 2014 and have been here for...

Abdulwahab Tareel

Abdulwahab Tareel is 27 years old and lives in Cyprus. This is a translation of the transcript of his story: "I am Abdulwahab Tareel. I...

Tasneem Alkhateeb

My name is Tesnim Al Khatib. I am aged 34 and I have been resident in Denmark since about 2017. I am a graduate of...

Anas Zarzar

My name is Anas Zerzer and I am aged 43.  I am originally of Palestinian-Syrian nationality but my current nationality is Norwegian. I worked in...

Ahmad Bakhdalia

I was a senior student in high school in Syria when I had to leave the country because of the war. I took refuge in...

Lubna Abou Kheir

I am Lubna Abou Kheir, a writer and a theatre actress from Syria. I graduated from the Higher Institute of Performing Arts, Department of Theatrical...

Deldar Felemez

I am Deldar Felemez, born in 1970 in Syria, Qalmashi. I used to work in the field of visual and written media, as well as...

Ammar Al Sheakh

I'm Ammar Khaled Al-Sheakh, a Syrian who came here from Sham four years ago. I fled Syria in 2016 when the situation was bad and...

Rana Thuraya Alnakshabandi

I am Rana Thuraya Alnakshabandi, born in Damascus 1958. I may seem very old but I think in our lifetime we get to live many...

Shevan Vanderlugt

I am  Shevan, a Syrian youth who studied English at Damascus University and who currently lives in Utrecht, the Netherlands. In Syria I had dreams,...

Anis Hamadoun

My name is Anis Hamdoun. I’m Syrian, 35 years old, living in Berlin, Germany. I’m a director and writer, and I teach acting in several...

Kaothar Khalil

My name is Kaothar Khalil, and I am from Damascus. I am 33 years old. I studied in Syria in the Institute for the preparation...

Anna Hannah Ibrahim

My name is Anna Hannah Ibrahim. I’m from Damascus, Syria. I graduated from the Media Faculty at Damascus University in 2005. I was full of...

Ruba Hammud

I am Ruba Hammud from Homs, Syria. I am a lawyer, and I used to be a journalist who raised awareness of Syrian women's rights,...

Osama Abu Yazan

My name is Osama but people call me Abu Yazan. I was born in 1973. I used to work in drapes and home décor. Before...

Ala al Bardeni

My name is Ala Al Bardeni. I am a 34-year old Syrian Palestinian and I have been residing in Cyprus for 9 and a half...

Afyaa Alasadi

I am the Iraqi poet Ayfaa Amen Alasadi. I was born in Baghdad, am in my thirties and I currently reside in France. I arrived...

Emad Abu Ahmad

My name is Emad Abu Ahmad and I was born in Hama in the early 1990's. In early 2011, I decided to study English literature...

Rawan Alfarkh

I am Rawan Alfarkh, a 30-year-old from Damascus, Syria. I graduated from the school of journalism at Damascus University in Syria and worked as a...

Ahmad Mousa Matar

My name is Ahmad Mousa Matar, a Palestinian from Jerusalem. I was born on 28/3/1975 in Baghdad, where I used to work as a lawyer....

Farah Abbas

I am Farah Abbas, a 29-year old pharmacist from Damascus (Sham). I have been living in Berlin in Germany for about three and a half...

Jamil Jamaleddin

I am Jamil Jamal al-Din from Syria. I am proud to be from Damascus, Al-Midan neighbourhood. I am 33 years old and currently work in...

Mahdi al Nasir

I am Mahdi Al-Nasir, from Deir Al-Zour Syria and I used to live in Damascus. I worked with the Syrian press from 2008, then I...

Sara Alagha

Sara is 31 years old and lives in Germany. This is a translation of the transcript of her recorded story: "My name is Sara Alagha....

Muntaha

Muntaha lives in Switzerland. This is a translation of the transcript of her recorded story: "I am Muntaha from Homs, a city that witnessed the...

George Matar

My name is George, I’m 31 years old, from Syria. I graduated with a degree in oil, petroleum, and gas engineering and went to Germany...

Dea Saffan

I am Dea Saffan. I am 25 years old and was born in 1994 in Deirezzor, where I lived for almost seven years before moving...

Haysam Youssef

I am Haysam Youssef and I’m 55 years old. I left Syria in 1989. I was in my fourth year studying law at the University...

Sara Ahmar

I’m Sara Ahmar, from Syria. I’m 30 years old and currently living in Germany. I was like so many young men and women from Syria...

Jouman Mohammad

My name is Jouman Mohammad. I’m 50 years old, originally from Iraq and now a UK citizen. I live in London, and previously in my...

Gona Saed

My name is Gona Saed. I’m from Iraqi Kurdistan and I came to the UK twenty-one years ago as a political refugee with my three-year-old...

Mohammad Abdlrazak

My name is Mohammad Abdlrazak. I’m a Syrian citizen from the village of Kiljibreen in Aleppo governorate, born in 1970. I came to Cyprus at...

Dan

I’m Dan, and I’m 29 years old. I’m a Syrian living in London, UK. I come from a village in northern Syria where I lived...

Amanj Mohammad

My name is Amanj Mohammad, from Iraq. I came to Sweden around 19 years ago for political reasons, as a political asylum-seeker. I didn’t have...

Khalil Jabo

I’m Khalil Jabo, a Kurd from Afrin. I arrived in Denmark at 2013, and sometime later I was granted a residency permit. When I was...

Omar

My name is Omar, and I’m 33 years old. I’m a Syrian writer and journalist. I’d basically decided to move to Cyprus back in 2008,...

George Marash

My name is George, I was born in Damascus in 1993. I began my degree in Pharmacy at the University of Aleppo. Then, when the...

Iyad

My name is Iyad, and I’m from Homs in Syria. I was born in 1985 and I lived in Homs pretty much until the outbreak...

Manal

Manal is from Iraq. She lives in Norway. This is a translation of the transcript of her recorded story: "I am Manal from Iraq and...

Adnan Alali

Adnan Alali is 36 years and lives in Germany. This is a translation of the transcript of his recorded story: My name is Adnan Al...

Loujean

My name is Loujean and I currently reside in London, UK. I come from Syria, specifically Damascus. What made me emigrate was the war and...

Aya

I am Aya, a Syrian from Damascus. I am 30 years old. Although I studied business administration, I work in the field of media. I...