Serve. Love. Meditate. Realize.
-Swami Sivananda.
-Swami Sivananda.
Canada is in the process of resettling 25,000 Syrian refugees. Their arrival provides a unique opportunity for the yogic community to be involved.
Background
Syria became an independent republic in 1946. General Hafez al-Assad who belonged to the minority Alawite religious group seized power in 1970. Upon his death in 2000, his son, Bashar al-Assad, succeeded him and stays on at the helm of the country.
Background
Syria became an independent republic in 1946. General Hafez al-Assad who belonged to the minority Alawite religious group seized power in 1970. Upon his death in 2000, his son, Bashar al-Assad, succeeded him and stays on at the helm of the country.
Under the al-Assad rule, the disgruntled Sunni Muslim majority and other minority groups complained of wide spread discrimination. The country faced socio-economic challenges with high youth unemployment rates. By 2011, the country experienced rising commodity prices and deterioration in the national standard of living. The country was under emergency rule from 1963 until 2011. Sweeping arrests and detentions by security forces were harshly criticized by global organizations.
In December 2010, the Arab world experienced a revolutionary wave of demonstrations and protests known as the Arab Spring. In March 2011, protests started in Syria. Protesters encountered military opposition and the course of events progressively evolved towards an armed rebellion against the state. Over time, interest groups, including but not limited to Christian militias, Hezbollah, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the Northern Al-Nusra Front (which is linked to al-Qaeda) and Syrian Kurds joined in the conflict. The international community reacted and Iran, Russia and the United States, among others, weighed in on the conflict.
Impact on the Syrian population
The conflict drained the Syrian economy and affected many heritage sites, including UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Many cities experienced and continue to experience waves of crime including theft, looting, extortion, murder, kidnapping and rape. Criminal networks emerged, smuggling goods and money in and out of the country.
The conflict drained the Syrian economy and affected many heritage sites, including UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Many cities experienced and continue to experience waves of crime including theft, looting, extortion, murder, kidnapping and rape. Criminal networks emerged, smuggling goods and money in and out of the country.
The population, in general, experiences a high death rate and rampant spread of infectious diseases due to the collapse of sanitation and deterioration in living conditions. The violence has caused millions to flee their homes.
Canada’s response to the Syrian crisis
Canada created an Emergency Relief Fund and is providing for humanitarian assistance along with development projects to help in the areas of food, shelter, health, protection and education of Syrians affected by the conflict.
Canada created an Emergency Relief Fund and is providing for humanitarian assistance along with development projects to help in the areas of food, shelter, health, protection and education of Syrians affected by the conflict.
The government committed to resettle 10,000 refugees by the end of 2015 and another 15,000 by the end of February 2016.
Resettlement process
The resettlement process will be done in five phases: identification of Syrian refugees to come to Canada; processing of Syrian refugees overseas; transportation to Canada; welcoming in Canada; and settlement and community integration.
The resettlement process will be done in five phases: identification of Syrian refugees to come to Canada; processing of Syrian refugees overseas; transportation to Canada; welcoming in Canada; and settlement and community integration.
It is in the last phase that committed yogis can assist.
How the yogic community can help
Once the media hype over the resettlement of the Syrian refugees is over, the hard work of helping Syrian newcomers integrate in their country of adoption will continue for months, if not years, to come.
Once the media hype over the resettlement of the Syrian refugees is over, the hard work of helping Syrian newcomers integrate in their country of adoption will continue for months, if not years, to come.
Having support helps promote integration of newcomers to Canada. Here are some suggestions on how to help:
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- Sponsor a family. Sponsorship is not limited to financial commitment towards a refugee family. It may also take the form of volunteering with an immigrant settlement organization to help refugees with the basics of getting settled in their new community— with filling out paperwork, finding permanent housing, getting to appointments, registering children for school, or finding and using local grocery stores and other services, to name just a few. Simply do an Internet search for “immigrant settlement” with the name of your community or region to find one of these organizations.
- Donate to organizations assisting Syrian refugees. Donation may be in cash but also in kind, such as toys, clothing, crafts, laptops, cell phones and school supplies, to a recognized Canadian charity. For every eligible dollar donated to a registered Canadian charity up until December 31, 2015, the government of Canada will contribute one dollar to the Syria Emergency Relief Fund.
- Contact a local organization and ask how you can volunteer.
- Click here to find an organization in your area.
- Stay connected and spread the word. You can use the hashtag #WelcomeRefugees to join the conversation on social media.
Yves Panneton
CYA-RYT Gold
CYA-RYT Gold