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Susan Sarandon's Christmas with refugees: 'I want to humanise the issue' Susan Sarandon's Christmas with refugees: 'I want to humanise the issue'
(about 1 hour later)
Susan Sarandon had an unusual Christmas. The Oscar-winning actor skipped the family dinner, packed her bags with emergency blankets and booked a flight to Lesbos, Greece for a week-long visit. Susan Sarandon had an unusual Christmas. The Oscar-winning actor skipped the family dinner, packed her bags with emergency blankets and booked a flight to Lesbos, Greece, for a week-long visit.
Just 10 kilometers from Turkey, the island is a landing spot for refugees escaping war-torn countries across the Aegean Sea. Over one million refugees have fled to Europe this year, according to the International Organization for Migration, while 7,575 refugees arrived in Greece on Boxing Day alone.Just 10 kilometers from Turkey, the island is a landing spot for refugees escaping war-torn countries across the Aegean Sea. Over one million refugees have fled to Europe this year, according to the International Organization for Migration, while 7,575 refugees arrived in Greece on Boxing Day alone.
“I wanted to learn from the refugees, take their stories and somehow put them on the internet,” Sarandon tells the Guardian (she wrote for the Huffington Post and RYOT from the Moria and Kara Tepe refugee camps in Lesbos). “My main goal was to humanise the issue and have them be real people, not politicise it.” “I wanted to learn from the refugees, take their stories and somehow put them on the internet,” Sarandon told the Guardian (she wrote for the Huffington Post and RYOT from the Moria and Kara Tepe refugee camps in Lesbos). “My main goal was to humanise the issue and have them be real people, not politicise it.”
The call to action was born out of frustration from the dialogue in the US. “It seemed like people who had the loudest voices were the most xenophobic and un-American,” says Sarandon, a Unicef Goodwill ambassador. The call to action was born out of frustration from the dialogue in the US. “It seemed like people who had the loudest voices were the most xenophobic and un-American,” said Sarandon, a Unicef goodwill ambassador.
She heard “horrible tales” of refugees whose homes were blown up and their husbands beheaded. Many had to sell everything and pay $3,000 for their one-way boat ride.She heard “horrible tales” of refugees whose homes were blown up and their husbands beheaded. Many had to sell everything and pay $3,000 for their one-way boat ride.
“They’re not any different than we are,” she says of the refugees. “They want their kids to be safe, clean and have an education, that’s all they want.” “They’re not any different than we are,” she said of the refugees. “They want their kids to be safe, clean and have an education, that’s all they want.”
Sarandon spent Christmas Eve with a 16-year-old Syrian mother and her newborn. “How did this young girl, having just given birth, manage that trip at sea?” asked Sarandon in one of her posts. “Where did she give birth?”Sarandon spent Christmas Eve with a 16-year-old Syrian mother and her newborn. “How did this young girl, having just given birth, manage that trip at sea?” asked Sarandon in one of her posts. “Where did she give birth?”
“It was so disheartening to see people sell everything to get to some countries that won’t even take them,” she says. “It was so disheartening to see people sell everything to get to some countries that won’t even take them,” she said.
Sarandon had brought socks, hand warmers and granola bars for refugees, but couldn’t give them much hope. “Once they managed to land on the shore, the worst was miles ahead,” she says. “Borders are closing, they have a long wait.” Sarandon had brought socks, hand warmers and granola bars for refugees, but couldn’t give them much hope. “Once they managed to land on the shore, the worst was miles ahead,” she said. “Borders are closing, they have a long wait.”
Sarandon was working with a number of grassroots organizations in Lesbos, including a group of doctors from the Off Track Health Alliance, Because We Carry, which offers baby carriers for refugee mothers, the PROEM-AID team of lifeguards, firefighters and rescue swimmers and The Dirty Girls of Lesvos, a Greek organisation which cleans clothing for refugees.Sarandon was working with a number of grassroots organizations in Lesbos, including a group of doctors from the Off Track Health Alliance, Because We Carry, which offers baby carriers for refugee mothers, the PROEM-AID team of lifeguards, firefighters and rescue swimmers and The Dirty Girls of Lesvos, a Greek organisation which cleans clothing for refugees.
“There is an army of people from the Netherlands, Norway and Spain, everyone is paying their own room and board and donating whatever they can,” she says. “There is an army of people from the Netherlands, Norway and Spain, everyone is paying their own room and board and donating whatever they can,” she said.
She also went to sea with Team Humanity, which helps locate refugee boats by using the WhatsApp messaging app. “Boats come in, nobody knows how to steer it, they just elect someone,” she says. She also went to sea with Team Humanity, which helps locate refugee boats by using the WhatsApp messaging app. “Boats come in, nobody knows how to steer it, they just elect someone,” she said.
Sarandon saw people in wheelchairs arrive by boat and children traveling across the ocean in blow-up pool toys, which are not safe. “They have to make the journey.” Sarandon saw people in wheelchairs arrive by boat and children travelling across the ocean in blow-up pool toys, which are not safe. “They have to make the journey.”
Many have died and gone missing at sea. In October, 60 people drowned on their way over the Aegean Sea. Some bodies are still missing.Many have died and gone missing at sea. In October, 60 people drowned on their way over the Aegean Sea. Some bodies are still missing.
The condition mothers and their children were in struck Sarandon the most.The condition mothers and their children were in struck Sarandon the most.
“One woman who had four children sat in the center of the road completely exhausted, all of her children were sick coughing,” she says. “One woman who had four children sat in the center of the road completely exhausted, all of her children were sick coughing,” she said.
The trip was also a homage to Sarandon’s ancestors. “My grandfather came to the United States from Sicily at 16 years old because they were at the end of the war trying to put young boys in the army,” she says. “In a way, I am doing this to honour my grandfather.”The trip was also a homage to Sarandon’s ancestors. “My grandfather came to the United States from Sicily at 16 years old because they were at the end of the war trying to put young boys in the army,” she says. “In a way, I am doing this to honour my grandfather.”
A pressing problem is the support for Greece from other nations, especially during this rush before the harsh winter weather. That’s not to mention when the summer comes, as Lesbos is an island depend on tourism. A pressing problem is the support for Greece from other countries, especially during this rush before the harsh winter weather. That’s not to mention when the summer comes, as Lesbos is an island depend on tourism.
“Greece economically and physically cannot handle this constant influx of 4,000 people a day, it’s insane,” says Sarandon. “They don’t have enough people.” “Greece economically and physically cannot handle this constant influx of 4,000 people a day, it’s insane,” said Sarandon. “They don’t have enough people.”
She saw volunteers working 12-hour shifts, seven days a week, trying to help. “Economically, environmentally and psychologically, they’re under a really unfair burden, nobody else is stepping in to help,” she says. “How can you create a structure that can deal with that efficiently and thoroughly? It’s really hard.” She saw volunteers working 12-hour shifts, seven days a week, trying to help. “Economically, environmentally and psychologically, they’re under a really unfair burden, nobody else is stepping in to help,” she said. “How can you create a structure that can deal with that efficiently and thoroughly? It’s really hard.”
According to the UN Refugee Agency, Greece is getting $12m in funding from a total of $20m of funding in Europe. The money is coming mostly from the United Kingdom, Germany and Korea. To continue, Greece still has a funding gap of $4.9m. According to the UN refugee agency, Greece is getting $12m in funding from a total of $20m of funding in Europe. The money is coming mostly from the United Kingdom, Germany and South Korea. To continue, Greece still has a funding gap of $4.9m.
“Other EU countries are getting angry because they’re taking people ashore, but what are they supposed to do?” she asks. “They can’t stop the flow and they can’t support it.” “Other EU countries are getting angry because they’re taking people ashore, but what are they supposed to do?” she asked. “They can’t stop the flow and they can’t support it.”
Sarandon also visited the Ellinikon refugee camp in Athens with alternate minister for migration policy Ioannis Mouzalas. “A lot of people are stuck, the winter is coming, this is not a simple thing,” she said.Sarandon also visited the Ellinikon refugee camp in Athens with alternate minister for migration policy Ioannis Mouzalas. “A lot of people are stuck, the winter is coming, this is not a simple thing,” she said.
Sarandon will visit refugee camps in Turkey with the UN in February. It’s still the tip of the iceberg.Sarandon will visit refugee camps in Turkey with the UN in February. It’s still the tip of the iceberg.
“The only thing I can provide is to be a little flashlight on information people aren’t getting, to reframe this catastrophe, this endless river of human suffering,” says Sarandon. “I had a unique opportunity to learn and listen to their stories and pass them on to anyone who was interested. When people know, they open their hearts and want to help.” “The only thing I can provide is to be a little flashlight on information people aren’t getting, to reframe this catastrophe, this endless river of human suffering,” said Sarandon. “I had a unique opportunity to learn and listen to their stories and pass them on to anyone who was interested. When people know, they open their hearts and want to help.”