Shattering stereotypes and building a connection through shared passions
In 2022, the number of people forcibly displaced due to conflict or disaster surpassed 100 million for the first time. A crisis of this scale is nearly impossible to comprehend.
Made in collaboration with UNHCR and YouTube, We Were Here is a short documentary series designed to humanise this statistic. We wanted to emphasise commonalities over differences – unlocking empathy through storytelling and a shared passion, such as music, gardening, and inventing.
When refugees are uprooted from their homes, they are forced to leave most things behind – but a passion is something they carry with them everywhere. In fact, for many, these passions take on an even greater significance, providing a sense of identity and normality in challenging circumstances.
In each episode of We Were Here, an influential YouTube creator forms a bond with a refugee through a common interest – exchanging experiences and expertise. Published on each creator’s own YouTube channel, the films reached their audience of millions of like-minded fans who also unexpectedly discovered they shared a personal connection with a refugee.
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. Before fleeing Ukraine, the sisters were a successful hip-hop trio. They team up to create a track, discovering they all share a connection between their music and their sense of belonging.
Episode 3 – Gaz x Bemeriki: Gaz Oakley, a vegan chef and gardening enthusiast, gains insights from Bemeriki Dusabe, a permaculture expert. Dusabe has spent the past 16 years living in a Ugandan settlement where he has established a foundation that teaches others how to grow their food.