“Not long ago, tensions escalated between Syrians and Turks in Sanliurfa. The mood on the streets was edgy. A group of us from my building – both Turkish and Syrian – got together and decided to visit every single family. All 28 apartments. We talked to them about living together peacefully. Whether Turkish or Syrian, they all received us warmly and wished us good luck. And it worked. There haven’t been any problems in our house.”
Abdulsallam Utba, Surgeon
“I remember the time that Mr Abdullsalam talked about. In my neighbourhood it was dangerous to go outside even to buy bread. During that time a group of Turkish neighbours visited us and brought us food. They told us not to worry, that we hadn’t done anything wrong, and that the people acting out on the streets were not representative of the Turkish community. They told us that the situation would soon calm down, and it did. I won’t soon forget my neighbours’ act of solidarity.”
Hüsen Utba, Student, Department of Mechanical Engineering