Issue 5 February 2018
RITSONA KINGDOM JOURNAL
PRODUCED BY YOUTH RITSONA
From the YES team Christina, Meg and Natasha...................................................................................................3 Palestine by Mahmood, Hamza and Ibrahim........................................................................................4 Self Portrait Art..................................................................................................................................6 Charcoal Portrait Art.........................................................................................................................8 My Twin by Ivan.....................................................................................................................................10 YES Workshops ...............................................................................................................................12 About Me by Ahmed and Issa.................................................................................................................16 About the Artist by Lazar...................................................................................................................................18 About the Artist by Michael...............................................................................................................................20 Mr. Ammar by Ammar..............................................................................................................................22 Adventures in Germany by Mohammed.......................................................................................................................24 About the Artist by Borkin................................................................................................................................26 StorytellingWithout Borders...........................................................................................................28 Collaborative Project: Fence Project by Youth Ritsona....................................................................................................................30 Film-making Workshops.................................................................................................................32 Youth Art Showcase by Youth Ritsona....................................................................................................................34 Hello, Ritsona! by Ahmed................................................................................................................................35 Black Lives Matter by Youth Ritsona....................................................................................................................36 About Me by Ibrahim...............................................................................................................................37 Guitar Art by George and Michael..........................................................................................................38
From the YES team
To view past editions, visit http://www.lighthouserelief.org/ritsona-kingdom-journal
The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of Lighthouse Relief and are the individual opinions of Youth Ritsona.
Table of Contents
Winter is upon us, and we bundle up in multiple layers and head to the Youth Engagement Space under overcast skies, raincoats in hand. Despite the chill, the new year has brought with it a sense of freshness and new chapters. We step into our new YES roles humbly and with great enthusiasm.
 We thank the founders of this program, Daphne Morgen and Hannah Brumbaum, who created this safe space one year ago for the young people of Ritsona to meet, make friends and explore their own talents and interests. We also wish Daphne and Hannah well in their exciting new project, Storytelling Without Borders; please check out our feature on it on p28. We eagerly await the beautiful stories , told via stop-motion film , that refugee youth from across Greece will create as a part of Storytelling.
 Our first few weeks in the Youth Engagement Space have involved plenty of freshly baked cookies, hot cocoa, yoga, football, dancing, painting, drawing and film-making. We’ve enjoyed getting to know each youth who walks through the gate of the space, and we are excited to support them as they learn, grow and discover new skills and hobbies.
 As we better get to know you, the youth of Ritsona, we are continuously impressed by the patience and kindness you show towards one another as well as the variety of talents each one of you possess. We hope 2018 is a year of new friends, exploration and continued growth.
 In solidarity and with love, Christina , Meg and Natasha

Jerusalem Misses You, Mahmood by Mahmood
Palestine by Hamza and Ibrahim
Self Portrait Art
Charcoal Portrait Art
"My Twin" by Ivan
We were first separated in Turkey. There, life was so difficult, and there was no future for me. I was 14 years old and couldn’t continue my studies. Instead, I worked morning and night, waking up at 3 in the morning and returning to my home at 8 in the night. I worked hard in hopes of being reunited with my twin soon.

After a year and six months of this life, I left Turkey and came to
Greece, where life was also difficult. I thought I would only be in
Greece for one week before going to Germany, but that was not the case. After more than two years of waiting in Greece, my dream is now, finally, coming true.

I could not have persevered through all these obstacles to make it to this moment, if it were not for my friends who supported me along the way. To my friends, I want to say THANK YOU, with all of my heart. I will miss you all, and wish you the best of luck for the future. I will look forward to seeing you again in this life, and visiting you wherever your journey takes you. You will always have a friend in Germany. Ivan and his twin were reunited towards the end of 2017.
My twin is my favorite person in the world. We were born together, played together, were in school together, always together. We have been apart for the last three years. Over all this time, I missed him so much and promised him we would be together again soon.
YES Workshops
AHMED ABOUT ME
ISSA ABOUT ME
LAZAR ABOUT THE ARTIST
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MICHAEL ABOUT THE ARTIST
"MR. AMMAR" by Ammar
Adventures in Germany by Mohammed
I started painting when I was 14. My father was a professional painter and I would go to work with him every day. He'd work with different kinds of paints in all different colors. We would work together painting everything, indoors and outdoors, spray painting or creating pieces with dripping paint. We have a big mural here at Ritsona which my father's friend created. I really enjoy spray painting. I don't have a favorite piece I've created so far - I like them all. I don't want to be a professional artist though, I just want to do it at home as a hobby.
BORKIN ABOUT THE ARTIST
We are incredibly excited to carry out this project and see the phenomenal and creative ideas and stories that develop. As always, we are eternally grateful to the youth in Ritsona Refugee Camp who have helped us to shape our workshops and our mode of engagement. They have taught us that true youth facilitation requires open communication, absolute youth input and involvement, full creative capacity, and of course-the ability to laugh at ourselves and with one another.
 Remember that you are the sole owner of your stories and only you can tell them.
 With love and admiration,
 Daphne and Hannah

Having handed over the Youth Engagement Space in January to a new fabulous team, we are now rolling out the latest project at Lighthouse Relief; Storytelling Without Borders! Our tools are four iPads and tripods, and a whole lot of art supplies, tiny props, and imagination! Uploaded on each iPad is the Stop Motion Application which we use to take photos, frame by frame which the application compiles together once completed to be viewed as a short movie.
 We’ve started this project in Ritsona Camp in the YES and CFS and will be traveling to Lesvos, Athens, and Northern Greece to conduct StWB workshops in partnership with other organizations working with migrant and refugee youth.

COLLABORATIVE PROJECT FENCE MURAL
This month, we’ve been learning to make films in the Lighthouse Youth Engagement Space. Many students have shot their own footage using phone cameras and we also learned to use a professional camera, the Nikon DS3. Some students recorded interviews with each other and with the Lighthouse staff. We recorded sound using a Zoom H4n Pro. Julie, who is helping the students to use the equipment, will be around until February 23, so call in if you want to learn more!

Film-making Workshop
Contributing artists: Aboud, Borkin, Mohammed, Mzgin, and anonymous
Youth Art Showcase
Hello? How are you all? I am Ahmed I was in Ritsona three months ago and now I am in Turkey. Turkey is a very dirty country. I miss Ritsona a lot and I hope to return to Greece and Ritsona one day to see everything like it was. I miss my friends who were in Ritsona a lot and I miss everyone who was with Lighthouse and people working for ECHO also. I miss playing football in camp with the boys and acting in movies. But now most of them moved to Europe and everyone of us are now in different countries. I spent the nicest days with the nicest friends in Greece and in Ritsona. I would have loved to have moved to Germany with my uncle and my family. But Germany was not my destiny. My destiny was Turkey. I love Turkey, it's nature and everything it has, but at the same time I don't like the people. I wish to all my friends that they are not sent back and denied asylum. I hope that everyone gets to the country that they want. I wish you luck!
Hello, Ritsona! by Ahmed
BLACK LIVES MATTER MURAL by Youth Ritsona
Studying is important to me because I want to learn.I have been studying English at Ritsona for two months. I study it every day and I really like it because it’s easier to learn than other languages, plus wherever you go in the world there will be people who speak it. I know I will be able to communicate with and translate for different people. When I’m not studying I like listening to music, or I'll try and practice my English online. I use Google translate to test myself. I also like playing football because it's good for the body and helps build muscle. I like playing attack like Cristiano Ronaldo - he's my favorite footballer and I support Real Madrid. I always used to play him on the Playstation game FIFA. At Ritsona we play football on the weekends, but when I lived in Jordan I was on a team and used to play every day. My other favorite subjects are soccer and learning about birds - they are so beautiful and I love looking at nature and scenery. I want to go to Germany and study to be a doctor. I’d particularly like to be a children’s doctor. I like to help people and I think it would be an interesting job.It also gives you a comfortable life.
IBRAHIM ABOUT ME
This mural was done by Youth Ritsona in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and with Palestine.
GUITAR ART POETRY GEORGE & MICHAEL GEORGE GEORGE & MICHAEL
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Peace, The Guitar and Me As the child begins the journey a thousand miles in a step, as well I started my career with the guitar. When my friend saw peace and love with my eyes, a heavenly voice came to him asking him to give his guitar. I thanked him and promised him to get up and start and continue. The guitar became my sense of unity, my language when I am silent , the twin of my soul. I started to hug the guitar for hours. Music is a language that all beings understand and all human races. I promised my guitar to continue my training and intimate friendship. We go together into the world, beyond the universe. We float over the clouds, touching the stars, so that I can bring the language of peace and love to everyone who hears me. Announced for all that music is stronger than the voice of the defender, and lower than the moan of a martyr under the rubble. Music is a language of hearts broken by migration, from their home and their people. I love you and pray to God to keep your hearts in peace. Wish me luck!
