Well Informed: Syria and Immigration

By searching Syrian Immigration, I was brought to the Syrian Refugees website. The page focuses on the Syrian crisis and the European Union's role as the provider of humanitarian aid and hosting region. Since March 2001, there has been an estimated 11 million Syrians who have left their homes in Syria. After six years of war, 13.5 million are now in need of humanitarian assistance. While the UE is the main contributor for humanitarian aid, 70% of the funding is currently missing according to the estimates of the UNHCR. In an attempt to better understand this migration crisis, the website provides several links to pages containing more facts and information.

While I found this website to hold reliable and important information, I think the video we watched in class gave me a better understanding of the issue. Following one families journey from Syria to Russia provided a first-hand insight to the devastating conditions of Syria, and the struggle to adapt to a new life in another country. The video contains images of the violence and destruction that has taken over Aleppo. I previously knew about the war in Syria, but I had no idea about the extent of damage it has caused. It was eye-opening to witness the children's adaptive behavior in response to living in the middle of the war. I also became more aware of the difficult process refugees undergo when attempting to enter another country. The challenge is not only physical, but very much emotional. They experienced a great deal of emotional trauma, in such a short amount of time. Their story showcases the incredibly real and brutal situation that is currently happening in Syria.