More than 70 years may separate the refugee crises of Syria and World War II.
But a powerful new UNICEF ad highlights how they tragically have more in common than many people may initially think.
The film, released Friday, shows 12-year-old Ahmed and 92-year-old Harry sharing how they fled conflict in their own countries in search of sanctuary.
In Ahmed’s case, he left Damascus, Syria, for Sweden. Harry, meanwhile, fled from Berlin in Nazi Germany for the United Kingdom.
There may be 80 years between them, but they both endured similarly harrowing experiences.
The pair end by saying the same quote: “I am alive. I am one of the lucky ones.”
UNICEF said that with almost 50 million displaced youngsters around the world, the 2-minute film should serve “as a stark illustration of the challenges that refugee children continue to face.”
“The needs of refugees have never been greater. Now, more than ever, they need our support,” said UNICEF’s director Paloma Escudero via a statement.
“We hope that this video will serve as a reminder that behind the headlines are the stories of individual children,” Escudero added. “Not refugees, not migrants, but children, whose only dream is safety, and the chance of a brighter future.”
