workshop: overcoming differences #3

Many of the young people attending the workshop expressed sadness with living in Lebanon because of the way the Lebanese society treats and views them.

Asked how they felt about living in Lebanon they gave the following answers.

Douaa 15: It’s better than Sudan there is war there and many problems
Louage 16: Sometimes Lebanon is good and sometimes not
Wissam 13: I don’t like Lebanon. I like Egypt.
Ramez 12: We can go outside in Lebanon. In Iraq we couldn’t
Sony 13: There was war in Iraq and we were afraid and threatened. Here is better. I said goodbye to the friends I used to play with. There were always explosions in Iraq. We came in August 2007.
Hanin 14: I’m not happy nor sad. We had to stay home a lot because of the bombs. My father was killed in Iraq and I came here by car with my mother.
Mona 15: I would like to go to Sri Lanka and Jordan and live the life of people there. I don’t like it here. My father could get citizenship but chose not to so I am stuck here without papers.
Sara 15: I would rather die under the bombs in Iraq then live here. Because the Lebanese are sarcastic about me being veiled and my refugee status.
Misha 11: I don’t like it here in Lebanon. I wish I could go home to Sierra Leone but I was born here so I don’t have papers for travel.

To overcome issues of intimidation and as a means of empowerment, the participants were asked to create a short portrait or profile of residents in the area of Sin El Fil. Placed into groups of 3-4 they ventured out and interviewed owners of shops or workers in the streets. Using polaroids, this exercise was designed to introduce the students to the different ways we tell stories and interview techniques.

View the photos

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