Syrian newcomers to Calgary now settled, celebrating successes and looking ahead

GhadaAlatrashstands in a spotlight on a small stage at Calgary's newcSPACEarts venue, reciting her poetry and writing to a packed room, silent and captivated.

As she speaks, another woman, fellow-organizer and musicianAya Mhana,sits and quietly plays traditional Syrian music on an Oud a small, pear shaped Syrian guitar filling the room with words and sounds from far away places, recounting unimaginable scenes and painful journeys.

It's been three years now since Syrian refugees began arriving in Calgary. Many are settled and thriving, now looking to the next three years and the next chapter of their lives here.

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"They describe their arrival as a feeling of bewilderment, they felt disoriented. One said they felt like an astronaut, just flying in space and ungrounded," saidAlatrash, a Syrianauthor,educator and one of the organizers of the event, held to celebrate stories of success and resilience from Syrian newcomers while raising money for her hometown ofSweida, the scene of an ISIS massacre last July.

"But now that same person told me with every day she is feeling more grounded in this country and is so grateful to the country that has given her refuge, freedom and security," saidAlatrash.

One of the speakers at the event, which wassponsored by the University of Calgary's Faculty of Social Work,is fourth generation soap maker,AbdulFatahSabouni, who hit the ground running in Calgary, setting up a successful business, inspiring others in the process.

"He's known all over Calgary now. That is a beautiful success story," saidAlatrash. "These people are resilient and they are growing roots here."

"We have to continue to offer spaces for newcomers to learn and contribute because, believe me, there's not a man or woman who have come here who want to live on welfare," she said.

"They want to give, they want to produce,"Alatrashadded.

She believes resilience is a common trait among all immigrants and refugees, regardless of skin colour or origin.

"It's a spirit that was once beaten that has learned to stand again," saidAlatrash.

As Syrians continue to settle and stand again, with many finding success as they do so, they say they'd rather be celebrated for those successes, rather than pitied for their losses.

"The idea of resilience is inherently about celebration, the idea of overcoming adversity but also celebrating new choices and a new beginning," saidYahyaEl-Lahib, a researcher at the University of Calgary.

He's currently working on a refugee study identifying some of the challenges newcomers from war-torn countries face in arriving and settling here.

El-Lahibsays Syrians don't want to be seen as victims.

"Refugees are here to be part of Canadian society. They are actual and potential contributors to the Canadian mosaic, also to the Canadian economy and to the well being of Canada," saidEl-Lahib.

Some Syrians are setting up successful businesses here and finding success in education, moving beyond settling to real success.

Others aren't quite there yet but have big dreams.

"I still need more time to adapt more, to settle more," saidRitaKhanchat, who worked as a broadcast engineer in Syria.

She arrived in Canada ten days before Christmas in 2016 after years of escaping conflict by moving from place to place to survive.

She graduated from college last September and started a job helping others at the Centre for Newcomers.

She wants to join other Syrians in Calgary and open her own business one day.

"My dream now, my big dream now, is to create a business," saidKhanchat, who wants to hire other Syrian women to help her start a catering company.

"In my second three years here I will work to achieve this goal, to find a business for these women," she said.

The show wraps up with a gentle middle-eastern rendition of a familiar tune to everyone in the room: Oh Canada, played on the oud.

Khanchatsays for some it can take time, but she's certain she will join those making their lives here a success, achieving her dreams and helping others do the same.

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