Transcript
(Fade in to photo of Moustafa Yousef - narrator speaking)
As a young man Moustafa Yousef, a Syrian, worked in neighbouring Jordan to help support his parents and nine siblings at home in Aleppo.
When the war began he was trapped in Jordan, along with his wife Amal, and their children Bayan, 8, Aya, 6 and Mariam, 4.
He has not been able to reunite with his parents since.
(Transition to Moustafa Yousef head and shoulder shot - Moustafa speaking)
My name is Moustafa.
I am from Syria.
I am 36 years old.
I came to Canada 15 months ago.
I started to work when
I was 7 years old
because my family was very big.
I got married in 2008.
My history is very difficult.
I can't explain that very well
because I need more experience in English.
Before the war,
everything in Jordan was good for me,
before the war.
But when the war started, everything changed.
(Fade to black - narrator speaking)
When war broke out in Syria, Moustafa was trapped in Jordan. He was separated from his seven brothers and two sisters, and from his aging parents.
(Transition to photo of Moustafa's parents - Moustafa speaking)
When the war started life became very difficult.
I had no way to communicate with my parents, my brothers and my sisters.
I would watch social media hoping to find some news
about what was happening to my family
and where they might be.
I worry all the time that at any moment I could lose everyone.
My family is my history.
If I lose my family I lose the meaning of my existence.
(Fade to black - narrator speaking)
Moustafa was apart from his parents and siblings for almost two years. He did not see them. He was not able to contact them.
(Transition to Moustafa Yousef head and shoulder shot - Moustafa speaking)
But when I contacted again with them,
my brother told me
that we lost two brothers.
(Fade to black - narrator speaking)
As the war progressed, Moustafa's remaining family escaped Syria to a refugee camp in Turkey.
Moustafa has been trying to reunite with his parents since. First when he was in Jordan. And now that he is in Ottawa.
In preparing for this video, Moustafa wrote an open letter, in English, to the world...
(Transition to Moustafa, his wife and their three daughters walking and holding hands on a soccer field - Moustafa speaking)
Just like any Syrians that travel to another country,
I want to live in a safe and peaceful place, like everyone else.
(Transition to Moustafa holding and kissing his daughter on the head)
I am a human being, with a heart, feelings, needs, and loved ones that I miss.
So I ask the world, why don't I have human rights?
(Transition to Moustafa hugging his family)
Is it because I am an Arab or a Muslim or from Syria?
Five years ago, I tried to travel to Turkey to visit my parents,
but I was unable to for many reasons.
(Transition to Moustafa and his family holding hands on a soccer field)
When I arrived to Canada, I tried again.
(Fade to black - scrolling text from bottom to top)
The only way is to wait until I get Canadian citizenship
I am the same person now that I will be when I have
Canadian Citizenship.
My parents are old and they could die while I am waiting.
I might never get to see them
If that happens I will live sadly all my life.
(Fade to black - narrator speaking)
When Moustafa speaks you see two distinct emotions.
When he speaks about his parents, you can see his burden and fear.
When he speaks of his children, you can see his joy. His smile.
(Transition to Moustafa Yousef head and shoulder shot - Moustafa speaking)
(Transition to photos of Moustafa's daughters)
Bayan is very smart and very ambitious.
All my girls are smart and ambitious.
This is what encouraged me to come to Canada.
(Transition to Moustafa's daughters playing on a playground)
I didn't want my children to live what I have gone through.
(Transition to Moustafa Yousef - head and shoulder shot)
I would like to thank the Prime Minister,
and the Canadian government,
(Transition to Moustafa's daughters reading in a library)
and Canadian people
for helping us to find a new life in Canada.
I hope that we can help
(Transition to Moustafa's daughters playing on a playground)
Canadians to build the best country!
Really I would like to thank them for everything.
(Transition to Moustafa Youssef - head and shoulder shot)
Thank you.
(Transition to Moustafa and his family standing together)
(Transition to Simplifying The Journey logo)
(Dip to black)
