[Music]
good evening everyone I would like to
ask you to imagine with me that you are
on a bus and the bus stop and I just got
on this bus and I sat on the seat next
to you
and we really like to get to know more
about each other but unfortunately I
have to jump off on the next stop so we
don’t have a lot of time what I’m
wondering is could you share with me
three things that define you as a person
three things about yourself that can
help me understanding who you are three
things go to your essence take a moment
think about it
well now I’m wondering
out of those three things is any of them
linked to a negative experience that
you’ve been through like war survivor
unemployed abuse victim ever noticed how
we tend to identify ourself with such a
labeled for me the three things could be
that I’m an Arab and a Muslim and a
refugee those three labels is more than
enough to put me in a bubble in the
society where I’m living now it was that
moment when I asked myself the key
question if my life were a book and I
were the writer how did I want the story
to go at that moment I really felt it
just taking over my life so I told
myself claim your experience and don’t
let it claim you but here is the thing
no one can tell me how and what my
experience means I have to decide that
myself that’s why I started we we is a
young social initiative to promote
social inclusion build bond and fight
externa phobia as one of the we project
we have we are the refugees it’s a
project to raise awareness about the
refugee crisis in Europe targeting the
schools universities companies and NGOs
all over the Netherlands with the aim to
open a safe zone for interactive
dialogue and in a way to have the
ability to have the discussion and
debate on the same on their safe zone
we are the elderly it’s a project
to facilitate the cultural events for
the Dutch elderly people to convey
culture through food music and
entertainment
we are the label I am myself a label
carrier and I’m here for the other label
carrier in the room because I’m never
the only one so this project is about
sharing life stories for the people who
have been negatively labeled by their
society it could be a refugee it could
be the ex-prisoners it could be the
people on a wheelchair it could be the
LGBT groups this is what this project is
about so what about you how are you
going to find a meaning in your
experience have you ever thought or
asked this question to yourself meaning
doesn’t have to be something huge we
don’t need all to start a foundation or
write a book or make a documentary
meaning can be small with a big impact
it could be a decision that we make and
we take and it gonna change the our life
in the whole for the whole future what
about your experience it could be a
recent one but it also could be one that
you have been carrying for a long time
ago
it’s never too late to change what it
means because meaning is a dynamic
because
me today will not mean what it means
here from now or ten years from now it’s
never too late to become someone more
and more than just a label can you hear
how hectic this word sounds a refugee
will chaired refugees no movement no
growth what if people decide to climb
their labels as an experience and don’t
take it as an identity maybe it would be
the beginning to start defining ourself
but who we have become and who we are
becoming
okay here is my stop
it’s been a short journey but I’m really
glad that we’ve been on all this journey
together and maybe when I just stand
here probably for some of you I was only
the Arab the Muslim and a refugee but
hopefully by now you know I’m not only
that are much more than that
I’m a successful entrepreneur a free
thinker and a change maker and most
importantly Amedeo thank you very much
[Applause]
[Music]
good evening everyone I would like to
ask you to imagine with me that you are
on a bus and the bus stop and I just got
on this bus and I sat on the seat next
to you
and we really like to get to know more
about each other but unfortunately I
have to jump off on the next stop so we
don’t have a lot of time what I’m
wondering is could you share with me
three things that define you as a person
three things about yourself that can
help me understanding who you are three
things go to your essence take a moment
think about it
well now I’m wondering
out of those three things is any of them
linked to a negative experience that
you’ve been through like war survivor
unemployed abuse victim ever noticed how
we tend to identify ourself with such a
labeled for me the three things could be
that I’m an Arab and a Muslim and a
refugee those three labels is more than
enough to put me in a bubble in the
society where I’m living now it was that
moment when I asked myself the key
question if my life were a book and I
were the writer how did I want the story
to go at that moment I really felt it
just taking over my life so I told
myself claim your experience and don’t
let it claim you but here is the thing
no one can tell me how and what my
experience means I have to decide that
myself that’s why I started we we is a
young social initiative to promote
social inclusion build bond and fight
externa phobia as one of the we project
we have we are the refugees it’s a
project to raise awareness about the
refugee crisis in Europe targeting the
schools universities companies and NGOs
all over the Netherlands with the aim to
open a safe zone for interactive
dialogue and in a way to have the
ability to have the discussion and
debate on the same on their safe zone
we are the elderly it’s a project
to facilitate the cultural events for
the Dutch elderly people to convey
culture through food music and
entertainment
we are the label I am myself a label
carrier and I’m here for the other label
carrier in the room because I’m never
the only one so this project is about
sharing life stories for the people who
have been negatively labeled by their
society it could be a refugee it could
be the ex-prisoners it could be the
people on a wheelchair it could be the
LGBT groups this is what this project is
about so what about you how are you
going to find a meaning in your
experience have you ever thought or
asked this question to yourself meaning
doesn’t have to be something huge we
don’t need all to start a foundation or
write a book or make a documentary
meaning can be small with a big impact
it could be a decision that we make and
we take and it gonna change the our life
in the whole for the whole future what
about your experience it could be a
recent one but it also could be one that
you have been carrying for a long time
ago
it’s never too late to change what it
means because meaning is a dynamic
because
me today will not mean what it means
here from now or ten years from now it’s
never too late to become someone more
and more than just a label can you hear
how hectic this word sounds a refugee
will chaired refugees no movement no
growth what if people decide to climb
their labels as an experience and don’t
take it as an identity maybe it would be
the beginning to start defining ourself
but who we have become and who we are
becoming
okay here is my stop
it’s been a short journey but I’m really
glad that we’ve been on all this journey
together and maybe when I just stand
here probably for some of you I was only
the Arab the Muslim and a refugee but
hopefully by now you know I’m not only
that are much more than that
I’m a successful entrepreneur a free
thinker and a change maker and most
importantly Amedeo thank you very much
[Applause]
[Music]
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