NEW FACES – In my opinion, all newcomers must do more to get equal opportunities in Slovenia. It doesn’t matter whether you are in Germany, England, or Slovenia – as a newcomer you have to make an effort to integrate and make your own life in your new home in a peaceful way.
The BODE+ project (#BrezOvirDoEnakostiinpravic), which we run together with ADRA Slovenia and the Gmajna Cultural Association, is committed to empowering people with a migrant background in the field of advocacy, as they often do not have the right opportunity to present their side of the story. This time, however, it is different – by sharing real stories, we are fighting against the prejudice that migrants are not educated or trained enough to participate equally and qualitatively in the social progress of Slovenia.
This is Zaher’s story
My name is Zaher and I come from Iran, where I was born and grew up. My family was also immigrants, moving to Iran from Afghanistan.
I was 23 years old when I came to Slovenia and now I have been living here for 8 years, since 2016.
I am not an economic migrant; the main reason I came to Slovenia was freedom. In Iran, we have no democracy and no human rights. The rules do not apply equally to everyone. Life as a migrant in Iran has not been easy. It is difficult to obtain basic official documents and live a normal life.
In my experience, life in Slovenia is also very difficult for anyone with a migrant background. After the first five years, my life in Slovenia has become easier and now I have the hope to live a normal life, have a normal job and a normal apartment. I have learned the Slovenian language and now I speak fluent Slovenian.
I have been on the radio and television several times in Slovenia, which makes me proud because I have been able to express my feelings about Slovenia. I will soon apply for citizenship. After six years, I am finally living a normal life here and I believe that this time should be the same for all newcomers to Slovenia.
The main problem for newcomers to Slovenia is finding a job and an apartment. The rent prices are very high and you face discrimination in job interviews or when renting an apartment. People here often have the prejudice that “all migrants are criminals”. In my opinion, people should give newcomers a chance, because we are not all the same.
There are hundreds and thousands of empty flats in Slovenia. I believe that the authorities should systematically deal with the housing problem, not only for migrants but for all people in Slovenia. Slovenia should allocate a higher percentage of GDP to housing to ensure a better and peaceful future. Opportunities should be equal and better regulated systemically for all.
If migrants had adequate employment and sufficient income, local people would more easily accept them into their society. In my opinion, all newcomers must make a greater effort to get equal opportunities in Slovenia. It does not matter whether you are in Germany, England, or Slovenia – as a newcomer, you have to make an effort to integrate and peacefully make your own life in your new home.
I now live near the Slovenian coast, where I work. I am very happy to have a good friendly environment that has always supported me in the integration process.
We are fighting against stereotypes, discrimination, and prejudice. We must stand together for social justice, equal treatment, and opportunities for all members of our society. Let us be tolerant, friendly, and open to new faces, new acquaintances, and opportunities for people to surprise us positively as great employees, talented individuals, or just loyal friends. Although we are different, we are all equal.
“The views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) alone and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the EACEA can be held responsible for them.”
𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒋𝒆𝒄𝒕 “𝑩𝑶𝑫𝑬/𝑩𝒓𝒆𝒛 𝑶𝒗𝒊𝒓 𝑫𝒐 𝑬𝒏𝒂𝒌𝒐𝒔𝒕𝒊” 𝒊𝒔 𝒇𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭𝟒𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝒊𝒏 𝑺𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒊𝒂 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝑵𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑 – 𝒕𝒐 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓.
For more on the stories and the project, see :
Project BODE+
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