2023-12-22 23:02:00
What does peace mean? Young Page author Julia Lüftner interviewed a school colleague from Syria.
The definition of peace according to Duden is: “the state of coexistence within or between states in peace and security”. Wikipedia says: “Peace or tranquility is generally defined as a wholesome state of stillness or calm, that is, the absence of disturbance or alarm.” And according to the biblical understanding, “peace” does not simply mean the absence of war, but much more: comprehensive happiness, health and well-being of the individual and the community, a successful life in successful relationships. Peace has a different meaning for each individual. For some it is just the peace and quiet from the annoying little sibling, while for others it means being able to finally return to their homeland. Whatever your understanding of the word peace and however individual the definitions may be, it is clear to all of us that the opposite pole to it is war. Not everyone lives in a country as privileged as Austria. And even though I heard the sentence “You’re lucky that we live in such a luxurious country!” I have heard this many times, and this was brought home to me once more in an interview with one of my classmates from Syria.
Why did you flee Syria and how? Actually because of the war that is still going on there. My first brother came here first, but he was already over 18 years old and so he mightn’t come and get us. Then my second brother, who is even younger, came and finally took us. My brothers came from Syria to Austria by ship, but fortunately my parents and I were able to use the plane normally.
What happened following you came here? In Syria we had a house, as is normal there. And in Austria we first lived in an apartment with my brother, but we only chose the apartment on site. We lived there with him for four months so we might look for another apartment. Fortunately, our apartment is now 70 m22 and there are only three of us living together – father, mother and I – my siblings have already moved out.
To what extent did you experience the war yourself? The war started in 2011 and I was born in 2005, so I already saw it. That’s why I didn’t really experience my childhood without war; my life is accompanied by war. For example, we were only allowed to
Stay outside to play at 5 o’clock in the followingnoon. We weren’t allowed to go any longer because we were afraid of the war and because the IS (terror group “Islamic State”) sometimes stole children. We were allowed to go to school, but we had to be careful because the route to school was unsafe.
How long have you been in Austria and why did you choose Austria? I have been here in Austria for almost five years. We chose Austria because it is a neutral country, there is security here, we can go to school and because my uncle has been here for eleven years.
Do you still have friends or family in Syria, and if so, what do they tell you regarding the situation there? Yes, uncles, aunts, friends are still there and they say that it is very bad and is getting worse and worse. There isn’t much to eat or drink, but if there is, it’s very expensive. You can’t shower properly because there is no water or electricity.
There isn’t much work either because there’s a war going on.
What do you want for Syria? I hope that the situation will get better and that there will be more security once more. But above all, that the war ends. Because I would like to go back to Syria when the war is over.
What does the word “peace” mean to you? For me it means security and peace of mind. That the war stops and that everyone treats each other lovingly and that you can relax and not always feel rushed!
Even though there is a lot of war in the world and there is often no hope in humanity anymore – it’s not just you – it is still important not to lose sight of peace and positive thoughts. It’s difficult and I’m certainly not the best at it, but it’s worth a try now, in these cold and supposedly gloomy times, to simply block out the negative thoughts and concentrate on the here and now. Christmas is a time of peace and in order to achieve this, you must first make peace with yourself. So enjoy the holidays, enjoy the feast, forget regarding the calories for a few days, and look forward to spending these days with family and friends in a safe country like Austria!
Julia Lüftner is 15 years old, comes from Oberndorf and is in the 2nd grade
HLW – ABZ St. Josef.
1703299251
#Finally #safe #SN.at
