MIYAVI, the japanese guitarist and UNHCR ambassador, visiting Krnjaca asylum center
By: Mirjana Milenkovski, Belgrade, Serbia
“I know you! I saw you in Lebanon!!” exclaimed a little Syrian refugee boy who arrived in Serbia a couple of months ago with his parents and siblings. As life has a way of arranging it, MIYAVI and given a concert in a refugee camp in Lebanon five years ago and the little boy had vivid recollections of it.
During his brief visit to Serbia, UNHCR’s Goodwill Ambassador MIYAVI was taken on a visit to an asylum centre Krnjača where he met the asylum-seekers and refugees. One of the first persons he talked to was Mahdi, a secondary school student from Iran, who turned 18 that day. Mahdi, an asylum-seeker from Iran, arrived in Serbia four years ago. He speaks English, Serbian, Arabic and Farsi and had just starred in a movie about refugees “Game” about a smuggler stuck with two UASC in the Balkans, braving the walls built at the borders in an attempt to reach Western Europe. The movie was shown at the Belgrade International Film Festival the night before. He was very talkative and happy to be congratulated by a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador and an international star.
Miyavi, a goodwill ambassador and musician from Japan, visits the Asylum centre in Krnjaca. ©UNHCR/I. Szabo
MIYAVI took no time to befriend the refugee children from Burundi, Iraq, Syria who gathered around him eagerly.
©UNHCR/I. Szabo
The children were excited at seeing MIYAVI start to strum his guitar, thinking of a song they could all sing and play together. His crew brought in a tambourine and drumsticks and showed children how to use them. An impromptu concert was staged in no time. MIYAVI played a couple of songs, one of which inspired by his experiences of meeting the refugees and hearing their stories.
©UNHCR/I. Szabo
And then they played football in the courtyard of the centre.
©UNHCR/I. Szabo
The next evening, MIYAVI held a concert to an auditorium packed with enthusiastic youth who knew all of his songs, though some were in Japanese. He took a break to speak about his work with UNHCR and raise awareness about refugees worldwide, particularly as the conflict in Ukraine was growing fiercer by the hour. He reminded of the human suffering of millions of refugees worldwide and sent a strong message of support to the people fleeing Ukraine.
Miyavi’s concert in Novi Sad. ©V.Velickovic
“We are happy and thankful for having you here. You speak for the voiceless – for refugees all over the world” said Francesca Bonelli, UNHCR Representative in Serbia, and continued “Your mission to Serbia touched me and my team very much. We will continue to draw inspiration from your commitment and energy”
Francesca Bonelli, UNHCR Serbia Representative, at the Miyavi’s concert in Novi Sad. ©V.Velickovic
UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador MIYAVI and his crew arrived in Serbia early March to hold a concert in Novi Sad within the framework of the programme MIGRATIONS/ Novi Sad, European Capital of Culture 2022.
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