My name is Majid Adin. I’m a filmmaker, a writer and an artist. I had to flee my home in Iran because I criticised the government on my blog. In late 2015, my journey as a refugee began.
I know how difficult it is to spend the winter in a refugee camp. That’s why, two years on, I want to support people who are going through what I went through.
Since finding safety in the UK, I’ve worked with artists such as Elton John. This time, I’m teaming up with Help Refugees and Blinkink to tell the story of a young boy trying to find his parents. Please watch my film and help me help those who need it most this winter.
I made the treacherous journey by boat to Greece, through Serbia and on to Calais and the UK. I remember the faces of the people I met on my journey. All the people that helped me when I was feeling cold and low. I remember the winter in the ‘Jungle’ and the volunteers that gave me the materials to build a shelter so I could survive the winter. I would tell them of my dream to be an artist in the UK, and how I would help them one day.
This is my way of helping.
My story isn’t unique. In every place I have been, I have heard the story of people’s journey and their struggle for a safe and peaceful life. I keep thinking of these stories when I look outside and see the rain hit the streets in the UK. I think about the people who are still searching in the cold, still looking for help and hoping for peace.
The festive season may be over now, but there are still countless people facing a brutal winter across the world who need help. The number of displaced people is at a record high, and now stands greater than the total population of the UK. It can feel impossible to understand that every one of those people is an individual person, with a family, friends, and hopes and dreams. Mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters.
I wanted create a short film that takes our attention away from the statistics and back to the what matters: human beings. Please watch my film below, and support my fundraiser for Help Refugees.