good evening everyone I would like to ask you to imagine with me that you are
ask you to imagine with me that you are
ask you to imagine with me that you are on a bus and the bus stop and I just got
on a bus and the bus stop and I just got
on a bus and the bus stop and I just got on this bus and I sat on the seat next
on this bus and I sat on the seat next
on this bus and I sat on the seat next to you
to you
to you and we really like to get to know more
and we really like to get to know more
and we really like to get to know more about each other but unfortunately I
about each other but unfortunately I
about each other but unfortunately I have to jump off on the next stop so we
have to jump off on the next stop so we
have to jump off on the next stop so we don’t have a lot of time what I’m
don’t have a lot of time what I’m
don’t have a lot of time what I’m wondering is could you share with me
wondering is could you share with me
wondering is could you share with me three things that define you as a person
three things that define you as a person
three things that define you as a person three things about yourself that can
three things about yourself that can
three things about yourself that can help me understanding who you are three
help me understanding who you are three
help me understanding who you are three things go to your essence take a moment
things go to your essence take a moment
things go to your essence take a moment think about it
well now I’m wondering
well now I’m wondering out of those three things is any of them
out of those three things is any of them
out of those three things is any of them linked to a negative experience that
linked to a negative experience that
linked to a negative experience that you’ve been through like war survivor
you’ve been through like war survivor
you’ve been through like war survivor unemployed abuse victim ever noticed how
unemployed abuse victim ever noticed how
unemployed abuse victim ever noticed how we tend to identify ourself with such a
we tend to identify ourself with such a
we tend to identify ourself with such a labeled for me the three things could be
labeled for me the three things could be
labeled for me the three things could be that I’m an Arab and a Muslim and a
that I’m an Arab and a Muslim and a
that I’m an Arab and a Muslim and a refugee those three labels is more than
refugee those three labels is more than
refugee those three labels is more than enough to put me in a bubble in the
enough to put me in a bubble in the
enough to put me in a bubble in the society where I’m living now it was that
society where I’m living now it was that
society where I’m living now it was that moment when I asked myself the key
moment when I asked myself the key
moment when I asked myself the key question if my life were a book and I
question if my life were a book and I
question if my life were a book and I were the writer how did I want the story
were the writer how did I want the story
were the writer how did I want the story to go at that moment I really felt it
to go at that moment I really felt it
to go at that moment I really felt it just taking over my life so I told
just taking over my life so I told
just taking over my life so I told myself claim your experience and don’t
myself claim your experience and don’t
myself claim your experience and don’t let it claim you but here is the thing
let it claim you but here is the thing
let it claim you but here is the thing no one can tell me how and what my
no one can tell me how and what my
no one can tell me how and what my experience means I have to decide that
experience means I have to decide that
experience means I have to decide that myself that’s why I started we we is a
myself that’s why I started we we is a
myself that’s why I started we we is a young social initiative to promote
young social initiative to promote
young social initiative to promote social inclusion build bond and fight
social inclusion build bond and fight
social inclusion build bond and fight externa phobia as one of the we project
externa phobia as one of the we project
externa phobia as one of the we project we have we are the refugees it’s a
we have we are the refugees it’s a
we have we are the refugees it’s a project to raise awareness about the
project to raise awareness about the
project to raise awareness about the refugee crisis in Europe targeting the
refugee crisis in Europe targeting the
refugee crisis in Europe targeting the schools universities companies and NGOs
schools universities companies and NGOs
schools universities companies and NGOs all over the Netherlands with the aim to
all over the Netherlands with the aim to
all over the Netherlands with the aim to open a safe zone for interactive
open a safe zone for interactive
open a safe zone for interactive dialogue and in a way to have the
dialogue and in a way to have the
dialogue and in a way to have the ability to have the discussion and
ability to have the discussion and
ability to have the discussion and debate on the same on their safe zone
debate on the same on their safe zone
debate on the same on their safe zone we are the elderly it’s a project
we are the elderly it’s a project
we are the elderly it’s a project to facilitate the cultural events for
to facilitate the cultural events for
to facilitate the cultural events for the Dutch elderly people to convey
the Dutch elderly people to convey
the Dutch elderly people to convey culture through food music and
culture through food music and
culture through food music and entertainment
entertainment
entertainment we are the label I am myself a label
we are the label I am myself a label
we are the label I am myself a label carrier and I’m here for the other label
carrier and I’m here for the other label
carrier and I’m here for the other label carrier in the room because I’m never
carrier in the room because I’m never
carrier in the room because I’m never the only one so this project is about
the only one so this project is about
the only one so this project is about sharing life stories for the people who
sharing life stories for the people who
sharing life stories for the people who have been negatively labeled by their
have been negatively labeled by their
have been negatively labeled by their society it could be a refugee it could
society it could be a refugee it could
society it could be a refugee it could be the ex-prisoners it could be the
be the ex-prisoners it could be the
be the ex-prisoners it could be the people on a wheelchair it could be the
people on a wheelchair it could be the
people on a wheelchair it could be the LGBT groups this is what this project is
LGBT groups this is what this project is
LGBT groups this is what this project is about so what about you how are you
about so what about you how are you
about so what about you how are you going to find a meaning in your
going to find a meaning in your
going to find a meaning in your experience have you ever thought or
experience have you ever thought or
experience have you ever thought or asked this question to yourself meaning
asked this question to yourself meaning
asked this question to yourself meaning doesn’t have to be something huge we
doesn’t have to be something huge we
doesn’t have to be something huge we don’t need all to start a foundation or
don’t need all to start a foundation or
don’t need all to start a foundation or write a book or make a documentary
write a book or make a documentary
write a book or make a documentary meaning can be small with a big impact
meaning can be small with a big impact
meaning can be small with a big impact it could be a decision that we make and
it could be a decision that we make and
it could be a decision that we make and we take and it gonna change the our life
we take and it gonna change the our life
we take and it gonna change the our life in the whole for the whole future what
in the whole for the whole future what
in the whole for the whole future what about your experience it could be a
about your experience it could be a
about your experience it could be a recent one but it also could be one that
recent one but it also could be one that
recent one but it also could be one that you have been carrying for a long time
you have been carrying for a long time
you have been carrying for a long time ago
it’s never too late to change what it
it’s never too late to change what it means because meaning is a dynamic
because
because me today will not mean what it means
me today will not mean what it means
me today will not mean what it means here from now or ten years from now it’s
here from now or ten years from now it’s
here from now or ten years from now it’s never too late to become someone more
never too late to become someone more
never too late to become someone more and more than just a label can you hear
and more than just a label can you hear
and more than just a label can you hear how hectic this word sounds a refugee
how hectic this word sounds a refugee
how hectic this word sounds a refugee will chaired refugees no movement no
will chaired refugees no movement no
will chaired refugees no movement no growth what if people decide to climb
growth what if people decide to climb
growth what if people decide to climb their labels as an experience and don’t
their labels as an experience and don’t
their labels as an experience and don’t take it as an identity maybe it would be
take it as an identity maybe it would be
take it as an identity maybe it would be the beginning to start defining ourself
the beginning to start defining ourself
the beginning to start defining ourself but who we have become and who we are
but who we have become and who we are
but who we have become and who we are becoming
okay here is my stop
okay here is my stop it’s been a short journey but I’m really
it’s been a short journey but I’m really
it’s been a short journey but I’m really glad that we’ve been on all this journey
glad that we’ve been on all this journey
glad that we’ve been on all this journey together and maybe when I just stand
together and maybe when I just stand
together and maybe when I just stand here probably for some of you I was only
here probably for some of you I was only
here probably for some of you I was only the Arab the Muslim and a refugee but
the Arab the Muslim and a refugee but
the Arab the Muslim and a refugee but hopefully by now you know I’m not only
hopefully by now you know I’m not only
hopefully by now you know I’m not only that are much more than that
that are much more than that
that are much more than that I’m a successful entrepreneur a free
I’m a successful entrepreneur a free
I’m a successful entrepreneur a free thinker and a change maker and most
thinker and a change maker and most
thinker and a change maker and most importantly Amedeo thank you very much
importantly Amedeo thank you very much
importantly Amedeo thank you very much [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
”
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