Being a Editorial Cartoonist doing my “professional” job, I should get inspiration one more time to draw about this day, but this year is my 9th anniversary as a refugee and I’ve seen too much wrong-doing for “good” so this I would like to make some comments:
- When we are just arrived, we are fragile, we may don’t have any idea about the language of the host country but it doesn’t mean we need to learn how to live or how to think like a new born child! When I arrived in France it took more than one year for me to learn the basic of French language and to communicate with the new society.
- Integrity doesn’t mean forgetting whoever we were and “imitate” the cultural codes and attitudes of the hosting country! Learning is the key, the more we learn we know how to exchange our cultures and being influenced and/or influence each other.
- Refugees shouldn’t be forced to “find” their place in the host society, they may never find it! some refugees must “create” their own place and the best we can do for them is to trust them and give them this possibility.
- The “worst” act against refugees is to “ignore” them, to ignore their voice, their ideas and their projects. I was enough lucky to be heard both friendly and professionally and I’m so grateful for that but I’ve been ignored as well and I will never forget those who ignored.
- Refugees need to be settled first! a political refugee can never feel rooted and focused if she/he have to always be worried about finding a place to live!
- We must share responsibilities to refugees who have talent and experience, we must involve them in our national and international project and see the results!
I believe if we just do these practical actions, we’ve already found a much better way to celebrate this day!
Kianoush Ramezani
Founder President of United Sketches International
Refugee since 2009
France
