Refugee Collaboration - Paris

Villemin Square Park, sitting comfortably in the heart of one of Paris’ trendiest spots is the home of up to 200 homeless refugees from Afghanistan. Sitting in this park our hearts were pounded with the stories poured out from the raw experience of our new-found friends.  As we began to make friendships, we heard things that shook us in deep places.  We were surrounded by men and boys as young as 11 who had been torn from family and everything that they know, in hopeful search of a better future.  Some had spent as long as 36 hours traveling alone in between the back wheels of a lorry blackened by dirt and grease making the dangerous journey out of Afghanistan and into an unknown future.

One boy of sixteen we listened to spoke of how his father smuggled him out of his house under the cover of darkness as the Taliban slept in a break from fighting.  He hid under a blanket in the car as his dad drove him to the city where he, having only a phone, a small amount of money and a couple of bags, left his dad forever to start a new life.  His journey, through Iran, Turkey, Greece, Italy and finally into France took him 18 months with time spent in jail in Turkey along the way.  As we spent time sitting and listening, another new friend, shared of how his house was bombed killing 8 of his family; with only him and two of his brothers surviving, he made the dangerous journey to find a new future in Paris.  

These stories were real and they were raw.  They were etched on the faces that we looked into. They hit us.  These beautiful people let my friend, fellow artist Doug, and myself into their lives over the few days we spent with them, they offered us a genuine gift of friendship.  As our time together came to a close, we decided to collaborate in making some art together.  The whole park was in a buzz, people laughing, messing around as we created together.  It provided a beautiful opportunity to blend hearts, and dream together of the beauty that can come out of the deepest of tragedies.