Dear Neighbor

Coming on World Refugee Day, 2023.

Neighbors are not only the ones within your country.

The Middle East region, suffering from protracted conflict, is experiencing an exponential loss of global attention due to crises in other geographical areas. Vulnerable and displaced populations in countries such as Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq continue to face dire conditions. More and more people are suffering from hunger, have very limited access to the most basic services and no income opportunities, and face serious health threats such as the cholera outbreak affecting Syria and Lebanon. Far from having improved, the different predicaments present in each country, and therefore the region, demand urgent action.

In parallel, each nation, under its different context, is facing an internal division between host and displaced communities. Governmental restrictions, marginalization, and segregation are not only forcing refugees and internally displaced people to live in these critical conditions but are also preventing societies from healing. While there is no singular direction towards peace, the first step starts by recognizing our shared humanity. When we welcome our neighbor with compassion and empathy, we acknowledge the inherent commonalities of our existence.

Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) in the Middle East and North Africa region, in partnership with JRS/USA, invites you to meet your neighbors. Through a series of interviews with refugees located in Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, and Syria, you will listen to extraordinary stories of hope, perseverance, and humanity. Together, let us break the barriers of misunderstanding and build bridges of solidarity across borders.