{"id":612,"date":"2022-01-26T21:21:25","date_gmt":"2022-01-26T21:21:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thanassiscambanis.com\/sipa\/?p=612"},"modified":"2022-01-26T21:21:25","modified_gmt":"2022-01-26T21:21:25","slug":"lost-decade-for-syrian-activists","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/thanassiscambanis.com\/sipa\/2022\/01\/lost-decade-for-syrian-activists\/","title":{"rendered":"Lost Decade for Syrian Activists"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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By Asaad Hanna<\/p>\n\n\n\n

March 15, 2011, marks the Syrian “Day of Rage<\/a>,” triggered by the detention of children in Dara and inspired by the hopes unleashed in the Arab Spring. This was the day when protests began in Syria against all that was wrong \u2014 corruption, human rights abuses, grinding poverty, and so on. Hundreds took to the streets, then thousands, then more than a million<\/a>.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Being an activist in a war zone is not something people choose to be. It is a duty that befalls some people when they feel called on to act and do something in the face of the unjust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Immigration is a common trend in the Middle East. Relocation takes much planning to do properly, but some are forced to leave their homes and are pushed to new places.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As part of this author’s work at Columbia University’s School of Public Affairs, he met with various figures who were displaced by the conflict. Below are three profiles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The cartoonist<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hani Abbas is a double displaced person. His family was first displaced from Palestine to settle in Syria, and after the Syrian war broke out, he also was displaced from a refugee camp near Damascus. Today, Abbas is one of the world\u2019s recognized cartoonists. In 2014, he was selected for the \u201cCartoon for Peace\u201d award by former UN Secretary-General kofi Annan<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Abbas’ story began in Yarmouk camp for Palestinian refugees where he was born and lived with his family. Drawing and painting images, he powerfully captured and illustrated the hopes, fears and disillusionment of a new generation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the Syrian uprising, he was inspired by what was happening around him and the stories of those who left or died. He described to Al-Monitor his feelings when he was painting a new piece in Syria. \u201cImagine every piece you are painting could be your last piece, or maybe you will not be able to finish it. All those emotions and passion blended into me doing my best art at that time,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read the whole story at Al-Monitor:\u00a0https:\/\/www.al-monitor.com\/originals\/2022\/01\/syrian-activists-tell-stories-displacement-over-lost-decade<\/a><\/p>\n