UNHCR x YouTube
Shattering stereotypes and building a connection through shared passions
The refugee crisis has grown to unimaginable levels in recent years. In 2022, the number of people forcibly displaced due to conflict or disaster surpassed 100 million for the first time.
It’s an enormous figure—so large that it is more likely to leave people feeling overwhelmed and powerless rather than inspired to take action.
That’s why UNHCR needed a whole new way to talk about this issue.
In partnership with YouTube, We Were Here was created as a short documentary series aimed at reshaping the narrative surrounding the refugee crisis. Instead of concentrating on the vastness of the problem, the series shares the personal stories of those directly affected. However, this was never intended to be a sob story. Our goal was to evoke deep empathy, not sympathy. Through topics such as music, gardening, and science, the series seeks to forge a human connection via the common passions we share rather than the tragic - and purely circumstantial - difference that set us apart.
When refugees are forced to flee their homes, they take very few possessions with them, but their passions remain with them wherever they go. For many, these passions become even more significant, offering a sense of identity and normality during incredibly turbulent times.
Working with a network of global researchers, I found it humbling to discover some of the remarkably skilled individuals living within the refugee community, whether in camps or temporary shelters around the world. From this immense talent pool, we paired three sets of refugees with three well-known YouTube creators who all shared the exact same passion.
In each episode of We Were Here, these like-minded individuals were brought together to share stories, exchange expertise, and forge meaningful connections. While the refugees’ journeys are part of the story, they take a back seat, allowing the shared passion of our subjects to take centre stage. Published on the creators’ YouTube channels on World Refugee Day, these films reached millions of viewers, surprising many with the discovery that they, too, share a deep connection with a refugee through their passion.
The series was produced in collaboration with award-winning directors Alma Har’el and Laura Checkoway.
Episode 1 – Simone x Mohammad: In the Jordanian desert's Azraq refugee camp, YouTube inventor Simone Giertz meets Mohammad Waheed, a retired Syrian refugee known as the camp's toymaker. Together, they collaborate to build a toy helicopter, bridging creative and cultural gaps to form a heartwarming connection.
Episode 2 – Jax Jones x Fo Sho: In a village near Stuttgart, DJ and Producer Jax Jones meets Betty, Siona, and Miriam, three sisters who were in an up-and-coming hip-hop trio before being forced to flee Ukraine. Together, they team up to create a track. In the process, they discover how their shared struggle with a sense of belonging serves as a powerful influence within both their music.
Episode 3 – Gaz x Bemeriki: Gaz Oakley, a passionate vegan chef and gardening enthusiast, gains valuable insights from Bemeriki Dusabe, a permaculture expert living in a Ugandan refugee settlement. For the past 16 years, Dusabe has been helping fellow refugees in his community by teaching them how to grow their own food using limited land and resources.