Issue 4 November 2017
RITSONA KINGDOM JOURNAL
PRODUCED BY YOUTH RITSONA
From the YES team Daphne, Hannah and Elisa......................................................................................................3 Leaning on Each Other by Hamza..................................................................................................................................5 Reflections of Ritsona by George.................................................................................................................................8 Meet the Youth by Ibrahim, Ferhad, Fouad, Bashar......................................................................................10 In Honor of International Children's Day: A Play by Hamza................................................................................................................................12 Parkour photos by Borkin...................................................................................................................16 Spray Art by Ivan.....................................................................................................................................18 Thoughts on Iraq by Hussein...............................................................................................................................20 Animals by Mohammed.......................................................................................................................21 Life in France by Mustafa Shabo...................................................................................................................22 Reflection by Anonymous.......................................................................................................................24 Poem by Malak.................................................................................................................................25 Get to Know... by Sagvan................................................................................................................................26 Music by Borkin, Fouad, and Mohammed.....................................................................................27 Film Week by Hamza, Rone, and Bashar................................................................................................28 I Dream... by Anonymous.......................................................................................................................30 Mural Feature: Dreaming is Free by Youth Ritsona...................................................................................................................31 Graphics by Bashar.................................................................................................................................32 Thoughts on Greece by Mohammed.......................................................................................................................36 A Day in Ritsona by Youth Ritsona...................................................................................................................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
Summer is finished and autumn and winter have begun to blend together, bringing bursts of orange and a chill in the air. Gone are the days of wiping sweat from our brows, replaced instead with steeming cups of hot chai and activities that keep us out of the rain and cold. We continue to say goodbye to those who have received news of asylum, reunification, or other means of leaving, and there are days our hearts are happy knowing that people have left to begin new lives, yet heavy with the loss of their presence. New faces appear daily and become a part of the Youth Ritsona family, creating new friendships, art, laughter and insight. As a team we are given an opportunity to spend our days with these youth, who we see as incredibly dynamic, remarkable individuals full of imagination, intelligence, and resilience. From strutting down the red “carpet” during the youth-inspired film week, to days spent creating art such as paper maché, collaging, poetry, and sharing ideas and dreams, not a day goes by where we aren’t struck by the reality in which we are working, and at the same time the strength and unwavering spirit of those who attend. As this year comes to a close, we have many wishes for youth currently in Ritsona and for those who have moved on to other countries around the world. We wish you every opportunity going forward, and a life filled with love and creativity. We remain committed to supporting you in all of your future endeavors and dreams. This is the beauty of Youth Ritsona and its network of youth voices that will not be silenced. We hear you and we are exceedingly proud. In solidarity and with love, The YES Team
by Hamza
If there was no stick on the left, the right stick couldn’t stand If there was no stick on the right, the left stick couldn’t stand If we don’t have the wall, both couldn’t stand. If all the world stops racism And everyone stands with each other This world could be wonderful. Because I believe if racism stops, The world will be safe and at peace. If everyone becomes one, We will be powerful. We are stronger together than we are apart.
Leaning on Each Other
Plants by Bashar
Artists' Showcase
Our pleasure in honing our talents of singing increased Play increased play, drawing, and sports The joy of the moon with the bounty of the suns was a comfort to us in our nights How much we played and watched and swam in order to forget the clutches of our past Different nationalities with united hearts We were one hand, weak becoming strong We wipe the tears of grief with the moments of pain when we bleed on the memory of parting a homeland, of the separation We rejoice and dance and celebrate with the throes of hope and joy Ritsona was our pride, our mother and our second homeland And really our school Ritsona Honest thanks from our broken hearts for your healing hearts.
by George
Between the ruins of conflict we perished From the drums of war we fled. We resorted to the mother of affection We warm up safely Let us hope for peace in Ritsona her stones were soft under our feet. Generous generosity with its gifts feed us to a delicious peak after hunger with her safety sheltered us from the harsh cold Our wounds have been cured by their patient medical care to heal the hearts of wounded from every direction We met people who were the angels of mercy to us They carry unmatched cultures and knowledge They came through humanitarian organizations to help us
Meet the Youth
In Honor of Universal Children's Day a play by Hamza
SELF CARE DAYS
Thanks a lot Lighthouse, because you are helping us. You gave us the chance to learn. You love us and you support us as we get better in this discipline. Thank you!
I had to learn a lot, luckily I didn't hurt myself. I got tired a lot but I eventually learned. I picked myself up, and I fell in love with Parkour.
I arrived in Greece two years ago. I'm living in Ritsona refugee camp. I want to become an actor in action movies and my passion is Parkour. I learned how to do Parkour by myself and I loved it since the beginning. I get along well with all my friends that are passionate about it and want to be like me.
PARKOUR
by Ivan interviewed by Eva
Spray Art DIY
Do you want to continue spray painting? My real passion is in clothes, dying and tailoring. I've been working for my cousin doing that for years. We have a huge washing machine, half the size of the ISO box. 100 people work for the business, I want to continue doing that. The t shirt is like the canvas. It feels cool when you see someone wearing your tshirt.
Where do you get your ideas? Sometimes they are in my mind, sometimes Instagram or YouTube. Do you have an exact idea of how it will look? If I have enough colours I can imagine the finished piece but sometimes it doesn't turn out. I like all different kind of painting, but I've only been doing it for 3 or 4 months. How does it feel when you're painting? I feel relaxed, it's cool. A good feeling.
by Mohammed
Reflections on Iraq by Hussein
This Is Our World
As a human being in this world, I belong somewhere and I have my story. I am from Kurdistan which is located between Iraq, Turkey, Iran, and Syria. Where I belong to is a very simple and beautiful place. People from my country are very friendly. I grew up in a very friendly neighborhood in a very simple family, between very friendly and warm-hearted people. My friends always taught me the right thing, although I had many difficulties growing up with my financial difficulties and my country problems, with Iraq being threatened everyday is a hard thing, I guess. At a early age I had to leave my school and get to working in a early age. I had to work to keep my family alive and to have a better life. In my life I have seen many difficulties and I have been forced many times to do things I don't wanna do, because of country war and problems. We never had freedom and we were never relaxed, and we were each getting older without having a specific future. I had to decide that I have to move on and leave my friends and family and go after a proper future. So I decided this and I moved on to Europe in order to improve my life and have a normal life and brighter future, like everyone else. One important thing for me is freedom, and I finally seek freedom here and I am working towards a better future for my life.
Cats and dogs are friends for humans: they play, they eat and they drink; every animal does the same things, but some people like some animals more than others, for example mice, hamsters, fish, penguins, ducks and birds. I prefer penguins and ducks. My family and I lived in a city in a normal house. We also have a villa in a small town, with a little garden. In the garden, there are some chickens and some ducks, and so many trees. When I went to our garden, I always ate fresh vegetables and fruits. When I go to Germany, I will have a cat and a rabbit and some birds and some fish, if God wills. But here in Ritsona there are many dogs and cats. I prefer the cats because they are kind. Maybe the dogs are kinder than the cats, but I am scared of the dogs. First: because they are huge Second: they attack Third: dogs are sin in our religion I like the zoo and nature reserves. When I watch TV, I watch National Geographic Abu Dhabi: it talks about about sea life and land life, about lions and lionesses, elephants, deer, buffalo, and giraffes, and shows how lionesses prey on buffalo. This is our world…
But I believe they will get better by time. So, here are some photographs that I do really want to show you how beautiful France is... With Love! Mustafa Shabo
But I believe they will get better by time. So, here are some photographs that I do really want to show you how beautiful France is... With Love! Mustafa
Life in France
Moving from Greece to France was hard, but at the end it turned to be amazing. Here in France at the beginning is was a bit hard to live with the situation.
Reflection by Anonymous
Moments you cannot forget Memories you cannot express in words People will not be compensated by time Feeling sad and happy together We create power from weakness We discover ourselves in the midst of loss We create our own happiness And we keep the memories in our hearts These can never be erased.
by Malak
Borkin and Fouad practicing their favorite song (lyrics on right).
This is Miranda and Audrey. They work for Cross-Cultural Solutions (CCS). They give people the things they need: water, clothing, milk. I'm so proud because I'm helping CCS. They do a great job. They are great people. They are helping the refugees in the camp. I am so proud and I love them a lot.
I AM YOU
Get To Know...
by Sagvan Age 25 Kurdistan
CCS
This is my English teacher Katie. I love learning English. She is teaching me something that I don't know. I'm also thankful for my teachers Veronica and Tina. I'm learning English and now I can meet new friends around the world. I go to English lessons everyday at 4 o'clock, except on the weekends. My favorite English phrase is "I miss you, I love you." I want to thank everyone who has taught me English.
MUSIC
I am Hamza Almustafa. Me and AC, HB, NR, MC, RC, MH, AB just acted in a short comedy movie because we wanted to change something in this camp—bringing all the people and make them laugh. It's called "Grandma Comes to Visit." We don’t always want to act about sad things.
Lost in the Woods A zombie film by Youth Ritsona
Grandma Comes to Visit A hilarious comedy by Youth Ritsona
FILM WEEK
All the people like this movie. Some of my friends watch it 10 times a day, especially my father and mother who are very proud of it. They tell me I have a great future. I want to thank all my friends who acted in this movie with us. You are really great. I want to thank everyone who encouraged us to make this movie. Teamwork makes the dream work!
We are Rone Farhan + Bashar Naif. We started watching action movies, horror and romantic films as well. One day we were walking in the forest, and suddenly the idea of making an horror movie popped up in our mind! So we decided to make it! Everything went well and we kept on implementing our idea full of hopes! With warm regards from Bashar and Rone .We thank you Lighthouse, as well as the volunteers and our translator Valentina.
Mural Feature: "Dreaming is Free"
by Anonymous
I Dream...
ECHO 100+ asked the community to help decorate their warehouse. They reached out to Youth Ritsona, who came up with the theme of "Dreaming is Free." Youth painted their personal dreams into a collective "dream bubble," representing the ways that each youth envisions their future.
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Graphic Novel by Bashar
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Youth Ritsona Workshops
Greece by Mohammed
Greece: the country of tourism, inappropriate for refugees because first thing it is poor, second thing it is small country. But when Turkey sent the refugees to the islands and the islands said, "We do not have enough space to do camps for the refugees," and the islands sent the refugees to Greece. And Greece opened some camps for the refugees but those camps are far away from the villages or the cities and the border is closing. The refugees stayed in camps, and then there are many organizations come to help (like U.N.). They helped the refugees with money and now financial status compatible with conditions. IOM/OIM helped the refugees to go to schools, some refugees accepted the idea and some refugees did not accept the idea. They said we do not want to stay in Greece and we do not want to learn Greek. The children want to go to school but the parents did not sign the papers to register their children. What about the school? The school was so nice for me and for everyone, but it was afternoon and not in the morning and the teachers were Greek. I learned Greek and German and English here! And Arabic in my country. So, for me, I like Greece! I hate Greece! Both. And other organizations I spoke about them in the last magazine. I'm leaving to Germany on 20 of October and I do not know if I will adapt fast so I hope I adapt fast!
FUN TIMES
Photos by Bashar, Sagvan, Abdul, Amar, Borkin, and Mohamed
9:00 Rocks 10:00 Caravans
"A Day In Ritsona" began with a photography workshop in October 2017 when youth had the opportunity to learn how to take a variety of photos with DSLR cameras. Inspired by their experience, youth set off to document everyday life at Ritsona. The goal was to have at least one photo for every hour of the day. For three weeks, youth took, edited, and selected their favorite photos for inclusion. The result is "A Day in Ritsona," a photo essay of youth and by youth, providing a glimpse into their lives at Ritsona through their own eyes.
11:00 Running with Red Cross 13:00 Sunny Sky
A Day in Ritsona
14:00 Bracelet Making 15:00 Camera in Mirror
16:00 Yoga in the YES 17:00 Douran
7:00 Sunrise over Ritsona 8:00 Plants
Crayon Art by Abdul
23:00 Dark 24:00 Hookah
18:00 Dusk Landscape 19:00 Abdul 19:00 Abdul 19:00 Abdul
21:00 Fire 22:00 Fire
a day in the space...
