KADEM Attended the “International Immigration and Refugees” Exhibition in Ankara
18 December 2017, Ankara
Attending the “International Migration and Refugees” Exhibition organised in Ankara on the occasion of the 18 December International Immigrants’ Day, KADEM screened the documentary film “Separation” on the stories of refugee women, and also held a conversation.
KADEM opened a booth at the “International Immigration and Refugees” exhibition organized in Ankara. Attracting a lot of attention from the visitors, the KADEM booth was also visited by Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu, who obtained information on women’s studies and the projects carried out with regards to refugee women.
The conversation that took place prior to the screening of the documentary film “Separation” under the moderation of KADEM Corporate Communication Director Leyla Gök was attended by Syrian Refugee Hene Ibo and Suzan Osman, KADEM and AFAD Refugee Women Socioeconomic Research Centre Language Teacher, as speakers.
Informing attendees on the immigrants’ day during the conversation, KADEM Corporate Communication Director Leyla Gök stated, “today, on the World Immigrants’ Day, more than 230 million people around the world are living outside the country in which they were born for various reasons. The United Nations declared 18 December as International Immigrants’ Day in 2000. The objective of this day is to create awareness about the lives and problems of immigrants and displaced people around the world. Located on one of the most important migration routes in the world, our country has witnessed and hosted major migration processes. While our country’s developing structure constitutes an attraction in the region, the ongoing political instability in the neighbouring countries encourages immigration to our country.”
“We share with you the hospitality rooted in our culture”
Emphasising on the fact that Turkey, which adopted the “Foreigners and International Protection Law” in 2013, opened its doors to refugees, Gök stated: “Due to these developments, today we are hosting thousands of our siblings, sharing our hospitality that is rooted in our culture. Again today, through this event, we share this day in order to lay the foundations of our common future with our siblings, with whom we have a shared past. Aware of our responsibilities, I celebrate the International Immigrants’ Day of immigrants who have had to leave their countries to migrate to other lands, both in our country and in the world, and thank you all for coming.”
One of the refugee women who appeared in the documentary film “Separation,” French teacher Hene Ibo, stated during the speech she delivered at the conversation that they arrived at Turkey’s borders with nothing in their possession in order to escape the bombs dropped on their neighbourhood in Syria, and that she crossed the mountains on foot and took refuge in Turkey with her children.
“Only Turkey opened us its doors”
Adding that, when they first came to Turkey they stayed in a tent-city, after which they moved to Istanbul where she teaches at a school where Syrian children are educated, Hene Ibo stated, “We will write history. We will write it in gold letters. The Syrians are not forgiving. Europe, Saudi Arabia has sold us out. They trade at the expense of our blood. Only Turkey opened us its doors. May God open them the gates of paradise.”
Teacher Suzan Osman provided information on the language and professional qualification, and legal and psychological counselling provided to ensure the integration of Syrian refugees into the society.
After the conversation, the documentary film “Separation,” telling the stories of eight refugee women, was screened.
