Desperate Journeys, Sea Prayer

Desperate Journeys is a report providing an overview of the changing patterns of movement to and through Europe and challenges and risks those seeking international protection face in accessing territory and asylum procedures. 

The 2018 interim report will be published on 3 September 2018 to coincide with the 3^rd anniversary of Alan Kurdi’s death and the release of Sea Prayer written by GWA Khaled Hosseini (inspired by Alan Kurdi).

Sea Prayer will be published as a short story book (with illustrations by Dan Williams) in 30 languages in print and e-book format from 30 August 2018.  In the US/Canada it will be published on 18 September 2018.  Proceeds will go to UNHCR.

In June 2018 Khaled travelled to Lebanon and Italy (Sicily) with UNHCR to gather content (photos, films, writing) to  support the coordinated launch of Desperate Journeys and Sea Prayer.

Desperate Journeys report press release:

• Available for translation and localisation [link]

Desperate Journeys report:

• Available here: [link]

​Desperate journeys social media package: 

• Available here: [link]

Desperate Journeys op-ed by Khaled Hosseini:

• Available [here] with embargo guidelines (NB - version of report foreword) 

Feature piece by Khaled Hosseini - The Ghost of Alan Kurdi:

• Available [here] (2270 words) 

Content related to Khaled’s 2018 ‘Sea Prayer’ mission to Lebanon and Italy:

• Khaled Hosseini - Desperate Journeys film (20 min length): ENG, ASI and INT versions available for download [here] 
• Footage from Khaled Hosseini's London press conference (5 September 2018) available here: [link] 
• Photos: [Lebanon], [Italy]
• B-roll package [link] 
• Two social media films (ENG, ASI and INT versions): [link]

Content related to the Desperate Journeys report:

• Photos from the report [link] and and other images [link]
• B-roll package [link] 

Sea Prayer (book edition) illustrations and social media materials:

• Available here with usage guidelines and credit information 

• Khaled's UNHCR web page [English]
• Previous media coverage of the Guardian VR film version of Sea Prayer: [link]

Khaled Hosseini related-interview (or other related Sea Prayer requests) should be directed to:

• Coco Campbell ([email protected]; +44 7715 420076)
• Sarah Epstein ([email protected]; +44 7572 601088) 

General interview requests related to Desperate Journeys should be directed to:

• Charlie Yaxley ([email protected]) and Natalia Prokopchuk ([email protected])