The conflict in Syria has now claimed over more than 250,000 lives, and over 4.2 million refugees having fled abroad, according to the UN. A further 7.6 million Syrians have been uprooted within their homeland. Backlash has emerged against nations offering to accept refugees since the November Paris bombings, with many parties citing security concerns and terrorism fears. But this hasn’t stopped communities around the world from speaking out in favor of welcoming refugees and warning against Muslim stereotypes. Social media channels tell a positive story, with International Migrants Day sparking messages of support. Twitter site #iamamigrant has proved popular, and heart-warming stories about reunited families have gone viral. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres, has warned that global support is more necessary now than ever before. “Never has there been a greater need for tolerance, compassion and solidarity with people who have lost everything,” he said in a recent report. In this video, we interview the founder and executive director of the Syrian Community Network, Suzanne Akhras, to give us further insight into the situation.
Social Media Changing African Narrative
Recent social media outlets have picked up on the current spate of sites aimed at changing the way Africa is perceived. Videos and images on Twitter, YouTube, and FaceBook, are promoting challenges to the stereotype of Africa as war-torn, violent nations of poverty-stricken people with little hope.
Campaigns at #theafricathemedianevershowsyou, #changethenarrative, and #seeafricadifferently turn mainstream media portrayals on their heads, sharing examples of Africa’s fashion couture, celebration of the fine arts, and impressive technological advancements.
One group of university students collaborated with advocacy organisation MamaHope to produce a video mocking Hollywood stereotypes of African men, while another celebrity series by See Africa Differently ridicules media campaigns depicting Africa as a hopeless case, worthy only of pity.
The movement seeks to instill a sense of respect for every-day African people, part of what a growing field of academics and humanitarian workers believe has been missing in previous attempts to intervene in the continent. In this video, we speak with Katrina Boratko from the organisation MamaHope, about how this social media movement began and how it impacts on peacebuilding in Africa.
