• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
Syrian Refugees Who Fled To Canada Want To Return Favour To Ukrainians Fleeing War

Home> News

Published 00:31 18 Mar 2022 GMT

Syrian Refugees Who Fled To Canada Want To Return Favour To Ukrainians Fleeing War

The war in Ukraine brings back painful memories for Syrian refugees in Canada and they are ready to ease the transition to the new country.

Jayden Collins

Jayden Collins

As the war continues in Ukraine, Syrian refugees are painfully reminded of the civil war that started more than a decade ago in their country. 

Just last year 80,000 Syrians found refugee in Canada, with Manitoba’s Syrian community growing to approximately 2,500, according to Immigrate Manitoba. 

Joseph Chaeban, a refugee from Lebanon who found refuge in Canada in 1988, recently reached out to the community of Manitoba when his wife Zainab Ali’s family were looking to flee Syria.

Advert

Chaeban told CBC: “They brought three families to Canada and it was a total of 13 people. They gathered over $150,000 for them. It’s like seeing angels.”

Joseph Chaeban and Zainab Ali /
CBC

Since Russia invaded Ukraine, Canada decided it would create a system to welcome millions of refugees fleeing the war torn country and allow them to stay for three years until they decide their next steps. 

According to Global News Canada, 9,000 Ukrainians have arrived in Canada since January. 

As an influx of refugees arrive, the memories of the Syrian civil war ring to the forefront for Zainab Ali. 

Advert

"It brings back my memories. I wish it doesn't [happen as it did with] the Syrian war," she said.

Maysoun Darweesh, who is the program coordinator at migration and resettlement at the Mennonite Central Committee of Manitoba said the Russian invasion of Ukrainian brought up painful recollections for the entire Syrian community in Canada.

"When I saw Ukrainian people images, the civilians — you know, the bombing, the attack — it's just so painful," she said. "As Russia has stained hand with Syrian blood, they're doing the same in Ukraine."

Independent / Alamy
Independent / Alamy

Syrian refugees have been coming for the last 11 years since the civil war began, and have grown up to now own their properties, have their own goals, and call Canada their permanent home. 

Advert

They are now ready to welcome the Ukrainian refugees with open arms and help them in any way they can. 

Chaeban said: “If anyone needs help, let us know. Because Canada helped my wife's family come and they were refugees."

Meanwhile, Darweesh, who is also the executive director of Kurdish Initiative, a non-profit charity aimed to support refugees, said she is ready to use her role to ease the transition for the Ukrainian refugees as much as possible. 

She said: “Everything's going to be okay. I don't know when, but I want them to know that they are welcome here. We love them. We will do our best to help them.

“We are waiting for you.”

Featured Image Credit: CBC / Odysseas Chloridis / Alamy

Topics: Ukraine

Jayden Collins
Jayden Collins

Jayden Collins is a Journalist at LADbible. He has worked across multiple media platforms in areas such as sport, music, pop culture, entertainment and politics. He is part of the editorial team for LADbible Australia.

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

an hour ago
16 hours ago
17 hours ago
18 hours ago
  • an hour ago

    US Bombs Iran as Trump issues full statement and Iranian government give terrifying reply

    'Congratulations to our great American Warriors,' he wrote on Truth Social.

    News
  • 16 hours ago

    Psychotherapist says there are 10 key signs that someone in your life is a narcissist

    Psychotherapist Alishia Portas has explained traits that narcissists tend to exhibit

    News
  • 17 hours ago

    Scientists warn that thousands of mini black holes could be hidden in your house

    Scientists believe that black holes could be moving through our bodies, and we don't even notice

    News
  • 18 hours ago

    Incredible find was made at house of ‘stubborn’ family who rejected £25 million to sell property

    The Zammit family have turned down multiple million-dollar offers to stay put

    News
  • Man who visited all 197 countries in world says best he has been to has ‘everything you could want’
  • North Korea confirms it has troops in Russia for the first time and had plans to 'annihilate' Ukrainians
  • Kremlin shows mystery ‘new missile’ at weapons test site amid Trump's pleas to ‘stop’ Ukraine-Russia war
  • Vladimir Putin's strict conditions that must be met for him to consider ending war with Ukraine