A Photographer in a Suitcase
June 24, 2019, 5:10 pm

A Photographer in a Suitcase

The influence of visual aesthetics on cognitive powers gives the photographers an amazing opportunity to speak without the need to write, the language of the photographer is the lens of his camera, and the professional photographer is a professional speaker. This is what attracted me in this creation of a Syrian young man who works in photography and has an amazing account on the Instagram, he takes pictures for places we might not pay attention to while hanging around in the streets of London. I decided to meet him after my knowledge about him via an interview recorded with him by humanitarian organization dealing with refugees in Britain.

Every day I look at the photos he publishes on the Instagram, which usually includes pictures of touristic places but from an artistic angle, richness in colours feeds the visual needs to aesthetics, as if his pictures are invitation cards to visit those landmarks. I looked between the pictures for his story or face features to know the whole story behind this creativity, my curiosity prompted me to write to him and express my admiration, he was lovely and thanked me, we agreed to meet in a cafe close to the city centre which is famous for its old Damascene design.

The walls of the cafe and its decorated wood roof with engravings, dating back to 1915, brought from Damascus to London, charmed me. The beauty of the place and its Damascene spirit fascinated me. I wondered about the situation of the Syrian immigrants fleeing the violence, carrying painful stories, leaving beloved ones who did not know their fate and a slaughtered homeland where they left their fragmented memories.

Ayman arrived, whom I recognized according to his eastern features, his shy smile, and his tired eyes because of the harsh situations he faced at this young age. I felt responsible for him, in spite of having the same pain but I did not endanger my life in order to get here, when I was a teenager I fled from a state looks like a large prison surrounded by walls, seeking for a country which respects human rights and freedom of expression and governed by law and democracy.

I surprised him with a question about his story and the motivations of creativity in his photos, and how he came to Britain. My questions were consecutive as if he is in an interrogation room. Ayman, the 25-year-old from Aleppo fled the hell of war in Syria to settle in Turkey, where he learned the language and decided to work to meet his daily expenses. But after settling in Istanbul and getting work in a restaurant, his dad insisted on him to travel to get a better and more secure future.

I did not expect to be shocked by his story after hearing hundreds of Syrian stories with sad ends, but Ayman's story was different, perhaps for its happy end or his long and difficult journey to London. Ayman passed through seven European countries reaching to Calais in France, which is away several miles from Britain by sea, he did not stop dreaming about arriving London, and after many unsuccessful attempts to cross the border, his insistence pushed him to think in another serious and dangerous way although the consequences may lead to end his life. Ayman said, in coordination with my friend, I decided to hide in a small travel suitcase in which I was obliged to act as an embryo and I made a small hole to breathe. His friend took a picture for him before this experience, he showed it to me while speaking.

" I entered the bag, rolled and prayed. My friend dragged the suitcase and put it in bags box in the bus, I was in a suitcase inside a box trying to breathe hardly and facing an unknown destiny, I lost consciousness many times but my determination and patience made me endure, Ayman added".

With a trembling voice, I asked him how long did the journey take? "Eight hours of fear and terror as I am facing death," he replied.

I interrupted him again, after a silence minute as I pray for his death, please don’t continue, you are now alright, I don’t want to hear more.

Ayman is now in a good health living with a British family who looks after him, he followed his dream and bought a professional camera, he began the journey of photography as he is documenting all moments of his life after the suitcase, in every street and corner, in the day and night. He is working now as a professional photographer for a well-known British company.

There are many painful Syrian stories. The Westerns might consider them fortunate because they are now in safe countries, but the truth is that they don't realize how much they have lost. They have lost everything and safety won't remove the scars of this war.

I was overwhelmed by the pain of life's cruelty, the pride of a person's strength and insistence on excellence and creativity, despite the disasters he experienced.

Writer and journalist

Rania Hallaq

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has announced its sponsorship of the “Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition (GU - IST Solutions), hosted by Gulf University at its main campus.
This strategic sponsorship reflects BENEFIT’s active role in advancing technological innovation and fostering sustainable solutions to future challenges. It also seeks to empower Bahraini youth by enhancing their skills, capabilities, and competitiveness in innovation and solution development—contributing meaningfully to the broader goals of sustainable development across all sectors.
As part of BENEFIT’s active involvement in the competition, the company has announced that Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication, will serve on the competition’s supervisory committee. Her upcoming participation reflects BENEFIT’s forward-looking commitment to championing academic and professional excellence.
Commenting on the occasion, Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication at BENEFIT, said, “We are privileged to support this pioneering initiative, which aligns seamlessly with BENEFIT’s enduring commitment to fostering innovation and nurturing the potential of Bahrain’s youth. Our participation is rooted in a deep sense of social responsibility and a firm belief in the pivotal role of innovation in shaping a sustainable future. Through such platforms, we seek to empower the next generation with the knowledge, skills, and foresight required to develop impactful solutions that address future challenges, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030.”
Dr. Aseel Al Ayash Dean of the College of Engineering in Gulf University commented, “We extend our sincere gratitude to BENEFIT for their generous sponsorship and support of the Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition. This contribution plays an instrumental role in helping us achieve the strategic goals of this initiative, namely, cultivating a culture of innovation and sustainability, encouraging efforts that address the imperatives of sustainable development, and enhancing the practical and professional capabilities of our students and participants.”
The event will bring together a diverse spectrum of participants, including secondary school students, university undergraduates, engineers, industry professionals, entrepreneurs, academic researchers, and subject matter experts representing a wide range of disciplines.
The competition seeks to inspire participants to develop and present innovative, sustainable technologies aimed at addressing pressing environmental, social, and economic challenges. It encourages the formulation of business models that integrate advanced technological solutions with core principles of sustainability. Moreover, it serves as a platform for emerging leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators to contribute to the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals, promote the ethos of responsible technology, and demonstrate its transformative potential across various sectors.
Attendees will have the opportunity to view a series of project presentations submitted by participants, covering diverse areas such as eco-friendly product design, smart and sustainable innovations, renewable energy technologies, water conservation and management, waste minimisation and recycling, green architectural solutions, and sustainable transportation systems. Outstanding projects will be formally recognised and awarded at the conclusion of the event.