PROJECT DESCRIPTION (can be read in this link, Dutch):
The Central Brabant Library and the Newcomers and Refugees Foundation invited New Tilburg residents with a refugee background to share their view of Tilburg in a photo project. The ten most special photos were shown from September 18 at bkkc and later that year, the photos were available as postcards in the Tilburg libraries, among others.
The view of newcomers on Tilburg and its inhabitants is unique. That’s why we distributed disposable cameras among New Tilburgers: status holders who follow language lessons at the Refugee Council. We asked them to go out on the streets, into the city and show us what they find special about this city.
The result: 900 photos that show the daily life of newcomers in Tilburg. Ten of the photos depict this strikingly. These photos will soon be available as postcards in the libraries with an additional program.
Welcome to Tilburg was created in co-operation between the Central Brabant Library and the Newcomers Foundation and Refugee Council Brabant Centraal. The project was made possible by the Awesome Foundation, Q-Promotions, Foto Tuerlings and MediaMarkt. The photos can be seen from 18 September to 29 November in the exhibition Art of Integration: Nomads, at bkkc (Spoorlaan 21 i-k, Tilburg).
END OF PROJECT DESCRIPTION
**************************************************************************
My contributions are based on my conversations with two refugees. The first of my contributions can also be found on this site. I decided to let the refugees speak for themselves, using I. These are extracts of my conversations with them.
WATER FUN, August 2016.
Father, a refugee from Syria
“I took this picture spontaneously because I saw the joy of my two sons Mohammed Bechir and Bachir while they were having water fun with other children in the fountain at the Heuvelplein. Children accept each other unconditionally. Between them, nationality or religious background plays no role. Everyone is equal. All kinds of people gathered in the center of Tilburg on this summer day to enjoy the beautiful weather together.
In the middle of the picture is my youngest son Mohammed Bechir. He is wearing blue trousers. He is five years old. He has a few memories of our flight from Syria, two years ago. He thinks that the Netherlands is his homeland. My eldest son, Bachir, who is nine years old, stands on the right and, just like his little brother, he catches the water from the fountain. He still has memories of the countries he passed through during our flight. But for him, too, the Netherlands has become a safe home.
The name Bechir means joy and the name stands for the messenger of good news. That is what my sons want to be for the Netherlands.”
WELCOME
Maimonah-Ali, Yemen
” This picture shows my friend’s husband cuddling with his little son. For me, this represents an intensely human sense of belonging. It reminds me of my family in Yemen who I miss very much. My parents, daughter, two sisters, and brother are still alive, over there. I am a widow. My daughter now has two children, a girl of two years and two months and a son of three months. How I would love to cuddle them like the one in this picture.”
FERRIS WHEEL
“At the fairground near this Ferris wheel, I saw smiling, frightened and surprised people. It symbolizes the world to me.
Cora Westerink (1965), alumna Tilburg University and Arts Academy
