“Each century is defined by a catastrophe. The 20th century was defined by two world wars. The 21st century will be defined by the refugee crisis,” said Erol Balkan, the faculty advisor to the student organization On The Move.
According to the UN, 65 million people have been forced to flee their homes, the highest number ever recorded. Among this group, there are approximately 22.5 million refugees, of whom over half are under the age of 18. As of 2015, only 189,300 of these 22.5 million refugees had been resettled.
April is Refugee Solidarity Month, and On The Move is putting on a variety of events to raise both funds and awareness for the refugee community. So far, OTM has hosted an international food festival featuring dishes from Minar, Hummus and Tabbouleh, Sunny’s, and Lucky Mey’s Market. Students ate falafel, grape leaves, chicken shawarma, pad thai, chicken tikka masala, and many other foods. The event, which also included a raffle, was widely attended. On the Move saw more than 100 students show up to eat and donate money to the United Nations Refugee Agency.
Additionally, on April 9, Hamilton hosted a conversation with alumna and renowned author Kamila Shamsie ’94 about a project she took part in called Refugee Tales. She gave a talk and a reading detailing her interview with an unnamed refugee who survived torture in his home country and then moved to the United Kingdom, where she said he experienced rejection and mistreatment. Through spreading the stories of asylum seekers, Shamsie said she hopes to humanize the refugee crisis and deter the anti-immigrant rhetoric that has become so widespread in recent years. Shamsie also informed attendees of advances being made in politics and society in regards to refugee awareness and support. At the end of her reading, she told her listeners that members of Parliament in Britain had made reference to Refugee Tales during their debates, citing this as proof that a group of motivated and passionate citizens can influence policy.
As this is a month-long movement, On the Move has many other events planned. Later this month, on Monday, April 16, photographer Tim August is set to present Moving Pictures: The Refugee Image at 7 p.m. in the Red Pit. Additionally, on April 23, Susan Hartman K’74, who is a journalist and graduate of Kirkland College, is scheduled to give a talk in the Red Pit about her work with female refugees in Utica. Finally, Frontline editor and alumnus Andrew Metz ’91 will be presenting PBS’s Exodus on Saturday, April 28 in the KJ Auditorium at 5 p.m.
To cap off the month, Journey West, a band whose members hail from Iraq, Sudan, Iran, and the United States, will present a concert open to the community at Munson Williams Proctor Arts Institute on Sunday April 29. The band incorporates their cultural diversity in the making of their sound, mixing musical styles and instruments from the Middle East, Eastern and Western Europe, and the United States.
With regards to refugee awareness, On the Move stated that “we would like to remind everyone they can help refugees regardless of what month it is. Donate money to the UN or other legitimate charitable organizations. Volunteer with OTM, Project Shine, MUCC, or one of the other various organizations on campus devoted to helping the refugee community in Utica.” On the Move urges anyone with any questions to reach out to them via email.
