Answer:
A Refugee’s Story
A REFUGEE’S STORY globalonenessproject.org ©2017 Global Oneness Project 2
SUBJECT AREAS
HIGH SCHOOL
• English Language Arts
• Geography
• Modern World Studies
• Psychology
• Sociology
COLLEGE
• English
• Geography
• History
• Psychology
• Sociology
THEMES
• Connection to home
• Cultural displacement
• Human rights
• Resilience
MATERIALS
• World map
• Online access to the film
• Equipment for
showing the film
PREPARATION
• None
Film: 20 minutes
Class: 60 minutes Key Idea
Millions of Syrian refugees are leaving their war-torn home in search
of safety and opportunity in other countries. Those who have suffered
the challenges of starting anew can have a powerful impact helping
others resettle.
Background
Since the Civil War in Syria began in 2011, millions of refugees have
been fleeing violence and searching for new homes in other countries.
As of March 2016, an estimated 11 million Syrians have been forced from
their homes, and 4.5 million—half of Syria’s population—have fled the
country.* More than 250,000 Syrians have lost their lives, 13,000 of
them children.**
António Guterres, who served as United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees from 2005-2015, has declared the situation, “the great tragedy
of this century - a disgraceful humanitarian calamity with suffering
and displacement unparalleled in recent history. The only solace is the
humanity shown by the neighboring countries in welcoming and
saving the lives of so many refugees.”
According to the UN Refugee Agency, the European Union welcomed
nearly a million Syrian refugees in 2015.*** The United States committed
to welcoming 10,000 Syrian refugees in 2016. According to the State
Department, 78 percent of those refugees were women and children.****
The short film, Welcome to Canada, documents the story of Mohammed
Alsaleh, a young refugee who fled violence and imprisonment by the
Assad regime during Syria’s Civil War. He was granted asylum in Canada
and counsels newly arrived Syrian refugee families with the Immigrant
Services Society of British Columbia (ISSofBC). Mohammed is currently
building a new life, striving to bring his family to safety from Turkey. The
ISSofBC is a non-profit organization which serves the settlement and
integration for newcomers coming into Canada globally. The organization
is the same Vancouver-based NGO that aided Mohammed during his own
resettlement process. Between November 4, 2015, and October 23, 2016,
Canada’s government welcomed 33,239 Syrian refugees, and the number