'If my life was going to be my own, I had to leave': Vice launches new series to give refugees a voice

Vice launched a new editorial series today which gives refugees a voice as they begin their lives in Europe.

New Neighbours features first-hand accounts by young people who discuss what's on their mind, with topics ranging from how soap operas helped them integrate into British society to getting the chance to study filmmaking in France.

Elektra Kotsoni, editorial director, EMEA, Vice, explained that the initiative hopes to move the conversation away from the negative media coverage of the crisis, which may have led to global interest in the topic falling dramatically in the last year.

"We wanted to move past the stories of their distressing journeys. Our main focus was integration," she said.

"It is easy to apply stereotypes and see refugees as one mass group, but I feel that in order for people to have a chance at a new life, they need to be seen as individuals – given a chance based on their own characters."

Kotsoni asked editorial teams in 11 of Vice's European offices to get in touch with local NGOs and charities to find contributors in places such as Spain, Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria and The Netherlands.

Some 16 articles have been published simultaneously in 12 languages and 14 European territories, in collaboration with UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Agency.

"We have so many offices in Europe because we want stories to be told by the people that are experiencing the issues, rather than having a foreigner explain, which can often be patronising at best," she said.

Talal Akkasheh, 19, finds parkour to be a therapeutic distraction when worrying about his family. Image by VICE.

The publisher will be prompting audiences to donate to charities involved in the initiative, and the UN will promote the articles across its social networks, with calls to action in support of their global #WithRefugees campaign.

"These stories help us relate to the young people," she said, noting that articles like 'How to be fashionable on a budget' and 'All the gaffes I've made since arriving in the UK', detail anecdotes and feelings that Vice's audience will recognise from their own lives.

"We want to reach audiences that may be scared of immigration because they don't understand it.

"If someone reads this article and sees that these people are similar to themselves or their friends, I'm hoping that will have a positive impact."

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