If Germany can do it for refugees, other countries can, too

Nujeen Mustafa is a Syrian refugee who has made Germany her new home. Nothing seems extraordinary, right? After all, people have moved in large numbers from the wartorn country to seek refuge in Europe, and mainly Germany, the biggest economy in the continent. But what’s remarkable about this young girl is her zest for life. She was born with cerebral palsy, and is dependent on a wheelchair for mobility. Yet, she made the perilous journey of more than 3,500 miles in the sheer hope of a better future. For millions, the 18-year-old girl embodies the best of human spirit, and her odysseys have lent a face to the greatest humanitarian crisis of our time. Her life story begs us to question why a country that was once flourishing has been reduced to rubble? She, like many other refugees, continues to suggest that war may not be the best solution to the problems in Syria. The world needs to change its approach. No amount of talks — whether in Astana, Geneva, or elsewhere — would be successful until the real problem of power struggle is addressed.

Concurrently, Nujeen’s newfound smile and cheer point to the magnanimity of the German society that has embraced millions of refugees. The country has given them hope and an environment where they feel safe, and can dream of building a better life. Although German Chancellor Angela Merkel is being fiercely criticised by opposition parties at home and some leaders in the West for her open-door approach, policies such as these have made a huge difference to numerous lives. Germany will definitely reap benefits in the long run, when children like Nujeen grow up to make a mark in their careers and make their adopted countries proud. She, for one, wants to become an astronaut. Deutschland has absorbed more than a million refugees in 2015 and 2016. It has promised to allow 27,000 more by September of this year. Still many more are struggling for survival, and need support. Other European and developed nations must take cues and support Germany in supporting people displaced by war. For this is a hallmark of a developed society, and a crowning glory for nations.