“Why is this booklet called Refuge? Because every day, more and more people are becoming refugees“ Refuge! brings together storytelling, poetry and visual art. It is the result of a collaboration between the St. James Episcopal Church in Florence, the Nuova Associazione Culturale Ulisse (NACU) and SIS Intercultural Study Abroad in Siena. The booklet was…
“Voci da altri mondi. Racconti di vita, speranza e coraggio di chi ha scelto l’Italia come nuova casa” is a collection of short testimonies gathered during the “Voci da altri mondi” events held in Siena in 2022 and 2025. All the stories featured in this brochure are based on real experiences. Their protagonists are young…
Abid Hussain left Pakistan in 2019 after receiving death threats due to conflicts in his region. He decided to leave his home and his country just to secure a safe and stable life. Leaving behind his wife and three sons was the hardest part of his journey. “I was not leaving because I wanted a…
Abubakar, known to his friends as Aby, hails from Pakistan—specifically from the city of Mandi Bahauddin. He is 21 years old and has been living continuously in Italy for about four years. He describes himself as brilliant, yet fun-loving and cheerful—a good person who is always looking toward the future. This is what he wants…
Moving from a country where everyone knows their neighbours, where newcomers are welcomed and invited into homes, to a country where no one even pays attention to who lives around them, and at times even ignores requests to meet each other, can feel like a harsh, difficult introduction to a new home. Ameena (a pseudonym…
After the Vietnam War, with the economy failing and limited job opportunities, many opted to move away for a chance at a better life, among them, Ha Bui’s father. He initially left with his first family, moving to Hong Kong, and from there, to the Netherlands in search of better work. Following a separation from…
Joviale is a 31-years-old refugee from Congo, who arrived in Italy in October 2023 to pursue a Master’s degree, thanks to a UNHCR scholarship promoted through the UNICORE project. She highlights the limited educational opportunities for African refugees, who often live in harsh conditions and without basic necessities. Despite the challenges, Joviale’s goal was to…
Mahdieh Samsami (Mahi for short) is a 24-year-old Iranian migrant seeking refuge or a work permit for residency within Serbia. We first met at the MILAGRO Summer Camp, hosted in July 2025 in Belgrade. Her kind-hearted and extroverted personality made it easy to become friends nearly immediately. Through a brief 10-minute interview on her favourite…
Miško Stanišić was born in 1966 in Sarajevo, former Yugoslavia. He became a refugee from his hometown at the very beginning of the war in Bosnia in April 1992. He lived shortly in Belgrade, and then moved to Stockholm, Sweden, in 1993. He lived in refugee camps, working various jobs, finally settled in Amsterdam, Netherlands….
This report summarizes the lived experience of Mohsin, a 45-year-old man from Pakistan who arrived in Italy in September 2022. His narrative reflects the complex transition he experienced, moving from a comfortable life in Pakistan and the United States to a challenging five-year migration journey. Ultimately, he found a sense of purpose and community in…
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