I have never walked the streets of Syria. Those who were born there tell me that Gaziantep, Turkey, somehow reminds them of home. During my three years living in Gaziantep, the Syrian youth gradually became my community. It was there that I met Mustafa, Sondos, Duah, Michael, and Hamza, and learned their similar stories of being forced to flee their homes in Syria as teenagers and slowly build new lives in Turkey.

Like them, thousands of young Syrian refugees in Turkey have been facing the challenges that come with growing up in a country that, despite not being too far from their motherland, still requires learning a new language and adapting to a different cultural and bureaucratic system. Not least, the temporary protection provided to Syrian nationals by the Government of Turkey is not without its limitations, often reducing their possibilities of studying, working, and moving across cities and thus hindering their future.

Together, we started a collaborative project where art and photography pave the way for them to reclaim their stories, life experiences, and identities. Through this project, we are creating a new reality - one where borders, legal statuses, and definitions give way to memories, dreams, and hope.

Gaziantep, Turkey

Full project available upon request: carolacappellari.hello@gmail.com