Media laden…
Hello everyone,
There are two important events happening this weekend that I am participating in, and I wanted to share them with you.
First, there is The Night of the Refugee
The Night of the Refugee is a walking event centered around raising awareness, challenging distances, and a special atmosphere of solidarity. This year, it is happening on the 14th of June. You can sign up individually, or start a team with your family or as an organization. Among the participants are also people with personal experiences of fleeing their countries, as well as organizations that work on this issue every day. Along the way, this leads to meaningful encounters and conversations.
Since 2010, Stichting Vluchteling (Refugee Foundation) has organized the Night of the Refugee around World Refugee Day (June 20) to draw attention to humanitarian crises around the world. Through this event, we show our solidarity with people on the run and raise as much money as possible together. With the proceeds, Stichting Vluchteling and its local partners can quickly provide life-saving emergency aid on the ground, such as shelter, medical care, food, drinking water, and sanitation.
Some info to rase awareness: the amount of Refugee’s rose to above the 122 million according to the un, while financing for aid has been declining.
Also, Research done by the journalist collective ‘Lost in Europe’ has revealed that at least 51,433 unaccompanied refugee children and young people who were previously in the care of the state went missing across Europe between 2021 and 2023, nearly 47 each day on average.
I am walking the 20 km, but sadly sign-ups are already filled. I will share the link below should you wish to sign up for next year or want to contribute. 😊 the distances are 10, 20 and 40 km.
Quick side note: to everyone demonstrating in LA for basic human rights and human decency: we see you, thank you, and stand in solidarity.
Same goes for other initiatives on the ground in countries all around the world, fighting for what should be basic human rights provided equitably to everyone. Whenever I see news of your work, it always brightens my day and gives me hope that things can be different, have to be different.
Keep up all the great work, and know that you inspire everyone around you, locally and in different countries.
https://www.nachtvandevluchteling.nl/
On the 15th of June, we are drawing the red line again.
As the violence in Gaza continues, the Netherlands keeps supplying weapons to Israel. This must stop!
That’s why We are drawing the red line again! I hope to see some of you there.
Together we demand immediate and decisive measures to stop the genocide in Gaza.
Numbers asof June 9 2025:
• Confirmed killed: at least 55,104 people, including at least 17,400 children
• Injured: at least 127,394 people
And this is not taking casualties from hunger or a lack of humanitarian aid in to account.
Also, 2.1 million out of a population of 2.2 million people face severe food shortages because of the blockage of humanitarian aid according to the un.
2/3 of all the infrastructure in gaza has been destroyed, including 92% of all the houses. Almost 90% of the wather and sanitation facilities have been destroyed. Most of the hospitals and healthcare facilities aren’t operational anymore. Hundreds of schools including all 12 universities has been destroyed.
I can go on for a while, but we don’t need an endless summation of tragedy. any one of these is reason enough to stop being in any way complicit.
I always complain about the accessibility in the Netherlands and for good reason, but it can be a lot worse.
I can only try to imagine what it would be like if I was living in Gaza, to imagine what people with a disability or chronic illnesses are going through there. Having to climb over the rubble that used to be houses, schools, and hospitals, without seeing where I am going. Streets that used to be familiar and remembered by heart, totally different and destroyed. Getting cut by pieces of stone and glass while running and climbing, but having to go on, always onwards. People all around you dying, those you know and those you don’t. That is, if I would even be alive to speak of any of it at all.
This also goes for wheelchair users, people that are neurodivergent, anyone with a disability and/or chronic illness.
Of course, I can never truly understand without having experienced it, and I pray I never have to. But I can think, I can imagine, and at least partially understand.
And through partial understanding, I can at least try to give them a voice and a face here, in the Netherlands. Use my privileges to at least try to create change, no matter how long it takes.
Violence is horrible for anyone that has to experience it. But with a disability it can be a lot more difficult to survive.
And so for everyone in that situation, We see, hear, and feel you. In Gaza, the West Bank, Sudan, the list goes on. anywhere violence is creating needless casualties. No matter what happens, we will always remember and fight for change.
https://www.oxfamnovib.nl/rode-lijn
that’s it from me in this post.
Yours,
Ihab
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thank you for reading and being a part of my community, it means a lot!
If you like this post and my content and wish to help, please share it with family and friends. Spreading the word always helps. 😊)
Also, if your able to mis it, you can consider getting a membership starting from 1 euro per month. You can consider it as buying me a bottle of wather every month. 😊)
Sources:
https://nos.nl/artikel/2570836-vn-meer-vluchtelingen-dan-vorig-jaar-financiering-daalt
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_PbcJJz-mE&ab_channel=Zembla
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/18/gaza-tracker
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRrHfsqg990&ab_channel=ForbesBreakingNews