like a sauna the room was dark
was dark
was dark and humid
and humid
and humid even the rats
even the rats
even the rats hungry
hungry
hungry for
the blood and the human flesh
the blood and the human flesh from all the open wounds
both men
both men we’re naked
we’re naked
we’re naked except for their underwear
the old man
the old man had a lot of white
had a lot of white
had a lot of white fluffy
the older man leans over and whispered
the older man leans over and whispered in Arabic
in Arabic
in Arabic hang in there son
hang in there son
hang in there son just going to be a story one day
just going to be a story one day
just going to be a story one day it was in the story too
it was in the story too
it was in the story too we were selling
four years later
four years later the old man
the old man
the old man is it
it was tortured and buried
it was tortured and buried Musgrave
I want you to imagine that where I’m
I want you to imagine that where I’m standing right now is an underground
standing right now is an underground
standing right now is an underground windowless room
windowless room
windowless room speaker than this carpet
everything is
everything is like
like
like as I’m thrown into this room
the prison guard
the prison guard that is your spot
that is your spot
that is your spot and slams the door shut
I can’t see my spot
I can’t see my spot so dark I can’t see anything
so dark I can’t see anything
so dark I can’t see anything rats hissing and chattering men crying
rats hissing and chattering men crying
rats hissing and chattering men crying openly some are screaming
openly some are screaming
openly some are screaming others
our breathing heavily
our breathing heavily gasping for air
I keep bumping into sweaty human flesh
I keep bumping into sweaty human flesh it is so hot here that even the cement
it is so hot here that even the cement
it is so hot here that even the cement under my bare foot
under my bare foot
under my bare foot is warm
after a while
after a while a tiny crack just the size of a pinhole
a tiny crack just the size of a pinhole
a tiny crack just the size of a pinhole opens up in the ceiling
opens up in the ceiling
opens up in the ceiling Anna tiny ray of bluish yellow sunshine
Anna tiny ray of bluish yellow sunshine
Anna tiny ray of bluish yellow sunshine crimson
that follow I discover something
that follow I discover something incredible
a tiniest ray of light coming into the
a tiniest ray of light coming into the darkest room
darkest room
darkest room gradually fold the entire room with life
darkness can overcome even a speck
darkness can overcome even a speck of life
come to think of it
come to think of it that
that
that really is my story
really is my story
really is my story that is
that is
that is it is
it is
it is before
before
before take you back to that jail cell in
take you back to that jail cell in
take you back to that jail cell in Damascus Syria
Damascus Syria
Damascus Syria let me first take you through the gates
let me first take you through the gates
let me first take you through the gates of the building
words on the gates will forever remain
words on the gates will forever remain stuck in my memory
fifteen
fifteen squat
squat
squat those who enter will be missing forever
and those who live
and those who live we’ll be reborn again
we’ll be reborn again
we’ll be reborn again you already know which of the two things
you already know which of the two things
you already know which of the two things happened to me
happened to me
happened to me I was reborn I am here
as the light fills the whole room
as the light fills the whole room discover that a space this size was the
discover that a space this size was the
discover that a space this size was the jail cell for 30 prisoners and my spot
jail cell for 30 prisoners and my spot
jail cell for 30 prisoners and my spot the place where I where I should
the place where I where I should
the place where I where I should sit stand sleep and eat from now on
sit stand sleep and eat from now on
sit stand sleep and eat from now on is smaller than a doormat
there were many days
there were many days convinced
and my story
and my story we’ll never people
as the wounds of our torturer
as the wounds of our torturer open up ugly holes in the naked skin of
open up ugly holes in the naked skin of
open up ugly holes in the naked skin of the prisoners
the prisoners
the prisoners we could feel lice and scabies and
we could feel lice and scabies and
we could feel lice and scabies and bedbugs creep into them
bedbugs creep into them
bedbugs creep into them and suck our blood
we had to sleep standing
we had to sleep standing was no space to lie down
was no space to lie down
was no space to lie down in total
in total
in total I was arrested and
I was arrested and
I was arrested and to prison three times in Syria
altogether I was held in seven different
altogether I was held in seven different detention centers in fact on this very
detention centers in fact on this very
detention centers in fact on this very day four years ago I was being
day four years ago I was being
day four years ago I was being interrogated in one of them
you you you are very lucky
you you you are very lucky in Canada
there are no terrorists here
there are no terrorists here for me
yes
yes that’s what they called me in Syria a
that’s what they called me in Syria a
that’s what they called me in Syria a terrorist and that’s why they jailed me
terrorist and that’s why they jailed me
terrorist and that’s why they jailed me and put me in that jail cell
once somebody calls you a terrorist
once somebody calls you a terrorist you’re in big trouble and in Syria it’s
you’re in big trouble and in Syria it’s
you’re in big trouble and in Syria it’s very very easy to be called a terrorist
very very easy to be called a terrorist
very very easy to be called a terrorist all you have to do is oppose the
all you have to do is oppose the
all you have to do is oppose the government and speak out against them
I didn’t even have to speak out
I didn’t even have to speak out all I did is I took pictures of the
all I did is I took pictures of the
all I did is I took pictures of the uprising and shared them with the whole
uprising and shared them with the whole
uprising and shared them with the whole world to see
that
that made me a terrorist
made me a terrorist
made me a terrorist I have always been a dreamer
I have always been a dreamer
I have always been a dreamer but being a terrorist was not on my
but being a terrorist was not on my
but being a terrorist was not on my dreams
dreams
dreams like many kids
like many kids
like many kids I grew up
I grew up
I grew up dreaming of becoming an astronaut
but when I was in high school I lost the
but when I was in high school I lost the cousin
when I was in high school I lost
when I was in high school I lost to cancer
to cancer
to cancer I kept asking why couldn’t they cure her
I kept asking why couldn’t they cure her
I kept asking why couldn’t they cure her and I kept getting the same answer
and I kept getting the same answer
and I kept getting the same answer cancer
so I
so I to my dream and made it into a mission
to my dream and made it into a mission
to my dream and made it into a mission my mission
that’s how I ended up studying at the
that’s how I ended up studying at the Faculty of Medicine in Homs Syria just
Faculty of Medicine in Homs Syria just
Faculty of Medicine in Homs Syria just north of Damascus
the movement swept across the country
the movement swept across the country and became an uprising
and became an uprising
and became an uprising the Assad regime tried to crush the
the Assad regime tried to crush the
the Assad regime tried to crush the uprising by chemical weapons gunfire and
uprising by chemical weapons gunfire and
uprising by chemical weapons gunfire and genocide I ran away from Assad’s bullets
genocide I ran away from Assad’s bullets
genocide I ran away from Assad’s bullets that day but I didn’t run away from the
that day but I didn’t run away from the
that day but I didn’t run away from the uprising in fact the next day I went
uprising in fact the next day I went
uprising in fact the next day I went back to the streets because I felt now
back to the streets because I felt now
back to the streets because I felt now more than ever that it is my duty to be
more than ever that it is my duty to be
more than ever that it is my duty to be part of this revolution
but as you can see
but as you can see one problem
one problem
one problem I’m quite thin and small
I have no weapons or strength to fight
I have no weapons or strength to fight tanks and armies
but I have a brain
but I have a brain and I have a cellphone
and I have a cellphone
and I have a cellphone and I have determination the photograph
and I have determination the photograph
and I have determination the photograph document
document
document expose the atrocities
every evening I used to go back to the
every evening I used to go back to the University dorms and upload my videos
University dorms and upload my videos
University dorms and upload my videos on social media
on social media
on social media so scared and I did that under a fake
so scared and I did that under a fake
so scared and I did that under a fake name
word
word my videos were
my videos were
my videos were in people all across the world
after two years
after two years Fionn animus
the uprising
the uprising a final exam for med school suddenly the
a final exam for med school suddenly the
a final exam for med school suddenly the bullies stormed into my classroom
bullies stormed into my classroom
bullies stormed into my classroom they come straight for me
they come straight for me
they come straight for me somehow they discover that I
somehow they discover that I
somehow they discover that I was the one who was leaking those videos
suddenly
suddenly I am handcuffed
I am handcuffed
I am handcuffed blindfolded with my own shirt and then
blindfolded with my own shirt and then
blindfolded with my own shirt and then thrown into the back of a military
thrown into the back of a military
thrown into the back of a military vehicle
they’re half an hour and many bruises
they’re half an hour and many bruises from the hits that I received in that
from the hits that I received in that
from the hits that I received in that vehicle we arrived in a very scary place
ask me
ask me find myself looking at the face of a
find myself looking at the face of a
find myself looking at the face of a scary-looking soldier
biting my hands together and string me
biting my hands together and string me up to a chain coming down from the
up to a chain coming down from the
up to a chain coming down from the ceiling
ceiling
ceiling I was like this hanging like a butcher’s
I was like this hanging like a butcher’s
I was like this hanging like a butcher’s meat for 72 hours
the real torture started
the real torture started they wanted me to confess a
they wanted me to confess a
they wanted me to confess a close the names of everybody who have
close the names of everybody who have
close the names of everybody who have ever helped me to get police videos and
ever helped me to get police videos and
ever helped me to get police videos and share them with the world
I refuse to obey
I refuse to obey started taking out my toenails one by
started taking out my toenails one by
started taking out my toenails one by one
agony
agony came to an end
it was still
it was still dangers for me to live in Syria
my mother kept telling me that I was
my mother kept telling me that I was better off away from them than dead
that’s why I had to make
that’s why I had to make decision
decision
decision of leaving home and leaving my country
that was in 2013
that was in 2013 years ago
also
also that was the last time I see my family
since then
since then my mother and five
refugees themselves
refugees themselves I escaped to Lebanon
I escaped to Lebanon
I escaped to Lebanon and in Lebanon
and in Lebanon
and in Lebanon working in a car wash
there was something about washing cars
there was something about washing cars that made me think that I was washing
that made me think that I was washing
that made me think that I was washing all the wounds and nightmares of Syria
washing cars was
washing cars was my dream
and so I sought help from the Yuna
and so I sought help from the Yuna Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees the UNHCR what else can I do
the UNHCR what else can I do
the UNHCR what else can I do hope was all I had
hope was all I had
hope was all I had hope remained my best friend
a few months later
a few months later I received a phone call that changed my
I received a phone call that changed my
I received a phone call that changed my life
life
life brought me here you
a voice on the other end said we heard
a voice on the other end said we heard your story you might be eligible for
your story you might be eligible for
your story you might be eligible for resettlement are you interested
resettlement are you interested
resettlement are you interested what was I going to say no
and Here I am Here I am in one of the
and Here I am Here I am in one of the best countries in the world
best countries in the world
best countries in the world my mission has not changed one day I
my mission has not changed one day I
my mission has not changed one day I would still like to become a cancer
would still like to become a cancer
would still like to become a cancer specialist and fight and fight and cure
specialist and fight and fight and cure
specialist and fight and fight and cure cancer
cancer
cancer but first I have work to do
but first I have work to do
but first I have work to do there are many refugees that are
there are many refugees that are
there are many refugees that are suffering around the world
they have stories to tell too they need
they have stories to tell too they need a voice and they need a new home and so
a voice and they need a new home and so
a voice and they need a new home and so right now I am working full-time in
right now I am working full-time in
right now I am working full-time in Vancouver as a refugee counselor right
Vancouver as a refugee counselor right
Vancouver as a refugee counselor right now my job is to welcome other refugees
now my job is to welcome other refugees
now my job is to welcome other refugees to the country and to give them hope
you
you we are all humans
we are all humans
we are all humans with Canadians
with Canadians
with Canadians our superhumans
you have helped me heal all these deep
you have helped me heal all these deep wounds that I have my hope right now is
wounds that I have my hope right now is
wounds that I have my hope right now is to reunite my family and to bring my
to reunite my family and to bring my
to reunite my family and to bring my mother and five siblings to Canada here
mother and five siblings to Canada here
mother and five siblings to Canada here to safety
right now they are living separately in
right now they are living separately in harsh conditions across Germany and
harsh conditions across Germany and
harsh conditions across Germany and Turkey
lucky me I am here
lucky me I am here free and with you
whenever
whenever talk to my mom on skype
talk to my mom on skype
talk to my mom on skype and I see that she’s starting to give up
and I see that she’s starting to give up
and I see that she’s starting to give up hope
hope
hope be believing that the despair will never
be believing that the despair will never
be believing that the despair will never end I remember the old man I met in
end I remember the old man I met in
end I remember the old man I met in prison and tell her
prison and tell her
prison and tell her hang in there MA
hang in there MA
hang in there MA this is just one chapter of your story
this is just one chapter of your story
this is just one chapter of your story hang in there mom I promise you this is
hang in there mom I promise you this is
hang in there mom I promise you this is all going to be a story to tell one day
did the old man believe his own words
did the old man believe his own words I will never know
I will never know
I will never know that was
that was
that was chapter of his life
chapter of his life
chapter of his life but he made me believe
but he made me believe
but he made me believe that light
that light
that light always overcome darkness
always overcome darkness
always overcome darkness they’re in that hellhole a tiny ray of
they’re in that hellhole a tiny ray of
they’re in that hellhole a tiny ray of light gave me hope
light gave me hope
light gave me hope and a tiny ray of hope gave me light
and a tiny ray of hope gave me light
and a tiny ray of hope gave me light that old man’s parting words are my
that old man’s parting words are my
that old man’s parting words are my parting words to you
parting words to you
parting words to you when all else is gone remember
when all else is gone remember
when all else is gone remember you still have hope
so never give up hope
so never give up hope especially in humanity hope survives the
especially in humanity hope survives the
especially in humanity hope survives the worst disease
and remember for every sad Assad rises a
and remember for every sad Assad rises a new Gandhi a mother Teresa a Jesus
new Gandhi a mother Teresa a Jesus
new Gandhi a mother Teresa a Jesus you
you
you I want to add Muhammad to this list but
I want to add Muhammad to this list but
I want to add Muhammad to this list but you might think that I’m talking about
you might think that I’m talking about
you might think that I’m talking about myself I wasn’t I was just telling you a
myself I wasn’t I was just telling you a
myself I wasn’t I was just telling you a story and I hope you found it worth
story and I hope you found it worth
story and I hope you found it worth telling
telling
telling [Applause]
”
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