The Journal of the Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America July-September 2017 - 19

sTorIes oF Peacemakers

Mexico Welcomes a Group of Syrian
Students to Complete their Studies

Two young Syrians of 24 and 28 years old have fled
from the hell of war to finish college
by Elena Reina/El País

hamer Abou Mansour, 28, did not want to be like the refugees who are now arriving in Europe. Before everything
exploded in Syria, he had studied economics at Damascus and
quickly realized this would never be a peaceful revolution. He
fled his country in late 2012, as did many young people, for
fear of being conscripted and forced to kill.
In June 2016, he came to Mexico, along with Hazem
Sharif, 24, hoping to resume the life that was buried four years
ago by the hell of war.
The two arrived by means of a Mexican project designed
to rescue at least 30 Syrian students who left college their country in order to survive. Through donations, the organizers of
this project raised enough money for their tickets, a monthly
pension and medical insurance. Universities in different Mexican states are in charge of enrollment.
The government only facilitates student visas. The 30 did
not come as refugees; this would be a much more complex
and lengthy process. Habesha Project has enjoyed the work
of promoters like the famous Mexican actor Luis gerardo
Méndez. It has also been supported by the Spanish philosopher
Fernando Savater.
Sharif is convinced that the education of young people is
the only hope for a country in ruins. "There are many children
who have only known war, and do not know what it is to live in
peace. They can explain everything about weapons. The war
takes up all their imagination," he explained while spending a
few days in Mexico City before going to Aguascalientes, where
he would continue his studies in business management.
"Some countries help Syria with weapons or soldiers.
Mexico is the first country in the world to offer real help to the
country, for the future of its people." Sharif is referring here to
the Mexican people who have pulled him out from his ordeal
as a refugee, and not necessarily about the government.
"Mexico is a country that hosted thousands of refugees who
came fleeing from dictatorships in the last century, and I think
it is important to remember that among them there came great
scientists and others who contributed a lot to this country," Mexican actor Luis gerardo Méndez said in a fundraising speech.

The company where Abou Mansour worked went bankrupt in 2012, and he went to Lebanon, hoping getting on
with his life. "It was not easy, because life in [Lebanon] is
very expensive and it is difficult for a Syrian to get hired. The
Lebanese are not very friendly with us," he says.
Aware of the closure of European borders and the risks
he ran as a refugee, he sought other options. His mother, sister
and two younger brothers had stayed in the south of Syria.
"They are the only ones the army cannot pick up," he said.
His other brothers had to escape with him.
Sharif also left his country shortly after the war began. He
did everything he could to continue studying in Iraq, but ended up helping compatriots who came in droves to the refugee
camps. He confessed that he had never heard of Mexico in
his life. "What made me come here is that I saw that Mexicans
were the only ones who had realized that if they can train
doctors, architects or scientists, there is hope for Syria," he
explained.
With these two were four other Syrians who have been
welcomed into the project since its inception three years ago.
Both responded quickly when asked if they plan to return.
"When all of this has passed, our duty is to return and rebuild
what the war has left," says Abou Mansour.
qayson Omar, 19, is still in Syria. Living in the midst of
constant bombardment, he learned about Mexico and dreams
of becoming a journalist. "But wars destroy the dreams of
young people," he said. The association hopes to raise enough
funds to welcome him and 25 other people, thus putting their
grain of sand in a conflict that has left more than 250,000 dead
and one million displaced.
-Reprinted from a Spanish
article in the newspaper El Pais
(http://internacional.elpais.
com/internacional.

Baptist Peacemaker

jul-sep 2017 19

http://internacional.elpais.com/internacional http://internacional.elpais.com/internacional

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Journal of the Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America July-September 2017