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Refugees of Arab Spring

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LarissaBelgium

Hi everyone,

My name is Larissa and I am a student in Journalism. For my final paper, I chose the subject "Refugees of Arab Spring who came to Belgium".
Let me know if you are one of them, if you know one of them, or if you can help me with that work (by giving me informations, contacts, names, etc).

Thanks a lot!
Have a great afternoon,

Larissa

Harmonie

Hello Larissa and welcome to Expat.com!

Your thread has been moved to Belgium forum for better visibility.;)

Good Luck in your project,
Harmonie.

Magnum Psyche

Larissa i suggest you change your subject, i think for Egyptians ...few people left the country BECAUSE of the revolt and whom ever left it is now in one of the Gulf countries !!

LarissaBelgium

Well, But someone told me that yes, some people left the country to find a job elsewhere, because the situation was bad..
And I'm looking for those people, who came in Europe to find a job, to have a better situation, to be far away from the conflict, or any other reason..
Anyway, thank you for your answer :)

schoolmum

Coming to Europe to find a job isn't the definition of a refugee. I'd do a bit research on the definition of a UN Convention recognised refugee. Most people who have left in the circumstances you described will be economic migrants. It might seem pedantic but in fact it IS important to recognise the difference.

As the granddaughter of an economic migrant (who would have died otherwise) and an economic migrant myself, it is important to distinguish between genuine refugees and us.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convention_Relating_to_the_Status_of_Refugees

LarissaBelgium

Thank you for the difference, and I'm sorry if I hurt you by saying "refugees", that was not the point.
I'll be more carefull next time, and I'll say "economic migrant" then :)
Have a nice day!

David27

Hi there
Just an idea, you may want to contact ONGs and other similar organisations working with the "sans papiers" on the ground. There are many of those here in Bxl, just google them. Good luck!

schoolmum

You will find very few asylum seekers from the Middle East in the FEDASIL centres - just to give you an example, less than 200 Egyptians have claimed asylum in Belgium in the last 3 years, no Bahrainians, 1 single Saudi Arabian, however over 1300 Syrians have succeeded in leaving and travelled to Belgium, that may be the best source of asylum seekers. But to find these asylum seekers, you would be better looking for them in their community bases in Belgium. Sorry can't tell you where the Syrians have settled, contact mosques which tend to run along ethnic lines... ie no good contacting a Turkish frequented mosque, I guess an ability to read Arabic is going to help here with your research.
http://www.cgra.be/fr/binaries/Statisti … 165629.pdf

David27

"contact mosques ..." A very sensible piece of advice, go for it !

Just bear in mind that some sections of mosques are off limits for women. I have never been inside a mosque but it would be better if you go there with a male friend, just to be on the safe side.

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