In 1 weeks time I complete my course to become a Primary School Teacher. Its been intense, like a roller coaster. With lofty highs and dismal lows …. My choice was to leave a career with a decent wage to start a new career at the bottom of the pack, learning the trade from scratch. I know that I still have loads to learn, but I am on the path now.

The very fact that I was able to make this life choice makes me a member of the most privileged groups on this small blue planet. I will never forget this or take it for granted – not when some of my best friends have had the ability to make life choices suspended indefinitely.

In 2 weeks time I travel back to Chios and will be running 2 projects .. The Birds of Hope Project and The Human Voice Project. 2 projects with 1 aim of spreading unity, compassion and humanity.

In my current placement school my class consists of 7/8 year olds from many different countries – its a very ethnically diverse school. I conducted a session with them, telling them about 2 sisters I met in Greece, aged 6 and 8 – about the decision their mum made to leave Aleppo as the war got closer. The children tried to imagine what they would be thinking as they left their home, as they were packed into a rubber dingy at night by smugglers and also as they lived in a dirty, inhumane, depressing refugee camp for months. I was (as I always am) so impressed by the childrens seemingly inbuilt and natural compassion for their fellow humans, and their incredulity when considering a world where people are forced to take such risks. Every day I learn something from them.

Following this session we were joined by an inspirational artist who lives in Leicester. George is Greek and has connections with Chios – in the 1920’s, his mother aged 4 was a child packed into a wooden fishing boat on the shores of Turkey, she was a refugee headed to Chios. Escaping persecution due to her Christian faith. This project was clearly incredibly important and personal to George – and it showed in his enthusiasm and passion.

The children screen printed Birds of Hope and wrote beautiful messages, these I will take to Chios – messages from children to children – powerful and poignant.

With the rise of intolerance and fascism in our world from my generation and older. From not allowing people to travel to safety legally, to criminalising people who help refugees, to the separation of children from their parents at the Mexico / US border and the constant dehumanisation of different groups of people by the media .. It could be said that the education of our young people, to tap into their natural empathy and compassion may be the only way to combat this worrying trend growing on our small blue planet. #resist #kidsarethefuture