What’s Happening at Home
Three Manawatu¯ men are opening up about their conflict-torn homelands in a talk called ‘‘What’s Happening at Home’’.
The talk, hosted by the Manawatu¯ Standard and the Palmerston North City Library, is today at 7pm at the library.
Mario Alayon-marichal will speak about Venezuela, Raza Nayel about Afghanistan and Tammam Tamim about Syria.
The three men will give a perspective about what their homelands are like now, what they used to be like and their hopes for the future.
Alayon-marichal came to New Zealand nine years ago to study at Victoria University. He wanted to do a specific topic for his PHD and he found the opportunity to do that in Wellington.
When he arrived in New Zealand he planned on returning home at the completion of his study.
But the political and economic situation meant returning wasn’t practical for his family.
Nayel and his family arrived in New Zealand in 2018 under the family reunion immigration category, as Nayel’s sister lives in Palmerston North.
He was employed by the Government in Afghanistan, where his family lived in Kabul.
Where he worked was a danger-prone area frequently targeted by suicide bombers.
The three men will give a perspective about what their homelands are like now.
Nayel will be speaking about Afghanistan and giving the history of the country, where the conflicts stemmed from and hopes for the country for the future.
The final speaker will be Tammam Tamim, who arrived with his family and extended family in Palmerston North in September, 2016.
The family’s life in Syria was normal until the war and the bombs started.
They fled to Bangkok, Thailand, where they lived for about 31⁄2 years before finally getting the news they would be able to resettle in New Zealand.
Tamim will be talking about Syria. Entry is free.