The other side of Syria | Lara Khalaf | TEDxRoyalTunbridgeWells

I was recently told it was not the right

I was recently told it was not the right time to be Syrian when reflecting on

time to be Syrian when reflecting on

time to be Syrian when reflecting on that comment

that comment

that comment I wondered why what is it about Syria or

I wondered why what is it about Syria or

I wondered why what is it about Syria or being Syrian that some people see so

being Syrian that some people see so

being Syrian that some people see so negatively and I did wonder though if

negatively and I did wonder though if

negatively and I did wonder though if that comment held any truth and I

that comment held any truth and I

that comment held any truth and I decided that no no it doesn’t the

decided that no no it doesn’t the

decided that no no it doesn’t the question for me is if is not the right

question for me is if is not the right

question for me is if is not the right time to be Syrian now when is it I’m not

time to be Syrian now when is it I’m not

time to be Syrian now when is it I’m not here to talk about the war my intention

here to talk about the war my intention

here to talk about the war my intention is not to glamorize a country that is

is not to glamorize a country that is

is not to glamorize a country that is crying with blood a lot of our friends

crying with blood a lot of our friends

crying with blood a lot of our friends family and relatives are still there I’m

family and relatives are still there I’m

family and relatives are still there I’m here representing myself I’m also

here representing myself I’m also

here representing myself I’m also representing progress contribution and

representing progress contribution and

representing progress contribution and achievement I’m only one of many the

achievement I’m only one of many the

achievement I’m only one of many the Syrian doctors that are treating your

Syrian doctors that are treating your

Syrian doctors that are treating your children or the Syrian architects that

children or the Syrian architects that

children or the Syrian architects that are building your houses or the Syrian

are building your houses or the Syrian

are building your houses or the Syrian carpenters that are making you beautiful

carpenters that are making you beautiful

carpenters that are making you beautiful furniture now that to me is the other

furniture now that to me is the other

furniture now that to me is the other side of Syria my hope today is for the

side of Syria my hope today is for the

side of Syria my hope today is for the world to see that Syria is more than war

world to see that Syria is more than war

world to see that Syria is more than war and that we Syrians are more than that

thirteen years ago I I came to the UK

thirteen years ago I I came to the UK alone I didn’t know anyone I was scared

alone I didn’t know anyone I was scared

alone I didn’t know anyone I was scared petrified in fact I didn’t speak the

petrified in fact I didn’t speak the

petrified in fact I didn’t speak the language I knew how to say a few words

language I knew how to say a few words

language I knew how to say a few words in English hello how are you

in English hello how are you

in English hello how are you but also knew how to say I love you of

but also knew how to say I love you of

but also knew how to say I love you of course

course

course I was hoping I was hoping for adventure

I was hoping I was hoping for adventure

I was hoping I was hoping for adventure and a new beginning and that excited me

and a new beginning and that excited me

and a new beginning and that excited me have you ever felt that way when you

have you ever felt that way when you

have you ever felt that way when you were when you had something so exciting

were when you had something so exciting

were when you had something so exciting in front of you

in front of you

in front of you I was very proud of my first job in the

I was very proud of my first job in the

I was very proud of my first job in the UK it was an efficiency of restaurant in

UK it was an efficiency of restaurant in

UK it was an efficiency of restaurant in Brighton 13 years ago so ladies and

Brighton 13 years ago so ladies and

Brighton 13 years ago so ladies and gentlemen if you went Brighton 13 years

gentlemen if you went Brighton 13 years

gentlemen if you went Brighton 13 years ago and they have served you some mushy

ago and they have served you some mushy

ago and they have served you some mushy peas with your corn and chips and then

peas with your corn and chips and then

peas with your corn and chips and then after a few jabs in in hospitality we’re

after a few jabs in in hospitality we’re

after a few jabs in in hospitality we’re on a good month ha I earned something

on a good month ha I earned something

on a good month ha I earned something like 600 pounds I got a job as a

like 600 pounds I got a job as a

like 600 pounds I got a job as a receptionist and after two promotions in

receptionist and after two promotions in

receptionist and after two promotions in less than one year I was appointed to

less than one year I was appointed to

less than one year I was appointed to run the operations of an organisation

run the operations of an organisation

run the operations of an organisation and I was responsible for teams managers

and I was responsible for teams managers

and I was responsible for teams managers and clients that were placed in the most

and clients that were placed in the most

and clients that were placed in the most iconic buildings in London then I was

iconic buildings in London then I was

iconic buildings in London then I was approached to set up a division within a

approached to set up a division within a

approached to set up a division within a company and then after that I I joined

company and then after that I I joined

company and then after that I I joined the global headquarters of an English

the global headquarters of an English

the global headquarters of an English bank where my team and I had the

bank where my team and I had the

bank where my team and I had the influence to set up standards globally

influence to set up standards globally

influence to set up standards globally and they also attracted a lot of

and they also attracted a lot of

and they also attracted a lot of international attention now from a young

international attention now from a young

international attention now from a young woman who was told you migrant you can’t

woman who was told you migrant you can’t

woman who was told you migrant you can’t be a leader and I’ll support people and

be a leader and I’ll support people and

be a leader and I’ll support people and organizations to become extraordinary

organizations to become extraordinary

organizations to become extraordinary leaders I’m forever grateful for the

leaders I’m forever grateful for the

leaders I’m forever grateful for the amazing opportunities this country has

amazing opportunities this country has

amazing opportunities this country has provided me

provided me

provided me I took work I took a lot of hard work

I took work I took a lot of hard work

I took work I took a lot of hard work mentally physically and emotionally you

mentally physically and emotionally you

mentally physically and emotionally you know when I get to meet people and they

know when I get to meet people and they

know when I get to meet people and they find out that I’m from Syria I also meet

find out that I’m from Syria I also meet

find out that I’m from Syria I also meet empathy sympathy warmth love but also

empathy sympathy warmth love but also

empathy sympathy warmth love but also some surprise and confusion because for

some surprise and confusion because for

some surprise and confusion because for some this is not how tragedy looks like

some this is not how tragedy looks like

some this is not how tragedy looks like you this is what I believe I believe

you this is what I believe I believe

you this is what I believe I believe that Syria contributes inspires now did

that Syria contributes inspires now did

that Syria contributes inspires now did you know

you know

you know that thanks to Syria today we have Apple

that thanks to Syria today we have Apple

that thanks to Syria today we have Apple and the iPhones I’ll have an air of

and the iPhones I’ll have an air of

and the iPhones I’ll have an air of support and and it’s my time to give

support and and it’s my time to give

support and and it’s my time to give back and I do that through the work with

back and I do that through the work with

back and I do that through the work with a swimming community now one thing that

a swimming community now one thing that

a swimming community now one thing that I’m very simply surprised with is that

I’m very simply surprised with is that

I’m very simply surprised with is that most of the people that are support I’m

most of the people that are support I’m

most of the people that are support I’m in and this is teaching me something

in and this is teaching me something

in and this is teaching me something what’s teaching is that stereotypes are

what’s teaching is that stereotypes are

what’s teaching is that stereotypes are slowly shifting I don’t mind if you’re a

slowly shifting I don’t mind if you’re a

slowly shifting I don’t mind if you’re a man or women and the people that I

man or women and the people that I

man or women and the people that I support seem to feel the same

support seem to feel the same

support seem to feel the same in my opinion of becoming stereotypes is

in my opinion of becoming stereotypes is

in my opinion of becoming stereotypes is all about treating each others like

all about treating each others like

all about treating each others like humans it’s about togetherness and

humans it’s about togetherness and

humans it’s about togetherness and equality regardless if you are Western

equality regardless if you are Western

equality regardless if you are Western Eastern Muslim a Christian when I think

Eastern Muslim a Christian when I think

Eastern Muslim a Christian when I think of Syria I think of family friends music

of Syria I think of family friends music

of Syria I think of family friends music food heritage and culture now that’s

food heritage and culture now that’s

food heritage and culture now that’s Syria to me that’s my Syria I would like

Syria to me that’s my Syria I would like

Syria to me that’s my Syria I would like to invite all Syrians to continue to be

to invite all Syrians to continue to be

to invite all Syrians to continue to be proud and be ambassadors of how a great

proud and be ambassadors of how a great

proud and be ambassadors of how a great country and also to continue to

country and also to continue to

country and also to continue to contribute to societies in a positive

contribute to societies in a positive

contribute to societies in a positive and empowering ways because maybe then

and empowering ways because maybe then

and empowering ways because maybe then the world may see the true other side of

the world may see the true other side of

the world may see the true other side of Syria thank you

Syria thank you

Syria thank you [Applause]