LEAP celebrated the 20th of June, marked as World Refugee Day, 2022, under the central theme of “Whoever. Wherever. Whenever. Everyone has the right to seek safety” by organizing various activities in Türkiye, including Samsun, Mardin, and Şanlıurfa. The project participants from the host and refugee communities joined the activities to highlight the fundamental right to safety and security and show unity and solidarity with refugees worldwide.
Food Can Bring People Together!
LEAP’s Mardin’s Turkish Language Class and Music Class students from the refugees and host communities came together to celebrate the world refugee day by cooking their traditional cuisine during a gathering held in Mardin’s Xurs (Gurs) Village while playing fun games.
Masquerade Ball
Participants from the refugee and host communities gathered in LEAP’s center in Mardin Kızıltepe for a craft activity where they painted craft masks. The activity was followed by a group discussion on the cultural similarities and values of people from different countries. Participants who attended the event emphasized the importance of focusing on our similarities rather than our differences.
World Refugee Day Picnic
Organized by the Leap Natural Women’s Cooperative as part of the 20th of June World Refugee Day, the picnic held in Mardin Kamor Park allowed Syrian, Iraqi, and local women to share their stories while dining at the same table. The event, where social cohesion between refugees and local women was promoted, ended with the participants hanging their wishes written on papers on the wish tree.
“We Are All People of the Same World”
Turkish and Syrian participants came together at LEAP’s center in Şanlıurfa for a drawing activity and to share their ideas about the meaning and importance of the refugee day. One participant shared: “It doesn’t matter where we are from; we all live in the same world! We all have equal rights and freedom. That’s why we say: “Whoever. Wherever. Whenever. Everyone has the right to seek safety”.
Time Capsule
As part of World Refugee Day, the participants of LEAP’s center in Samsun joined an activity to create time capsules under the theme “A letter to the future me.” The participants wrote their hopes and dreams on pieces of paper and placed them in a decorated and sealed jar to be opened in the future. With this activity, LEAP was trying to emphasize the importance of dreaming and self-actualizing oneself. A person cannot live without hope and dreams, more importantly, the will and perseverance to actualize their hopes and dreams. We hope all the participant’s dreams will have come true in the near future.
