ABOUT US
We are a group of students in American School of Paris partnered with the Association Pierre Claver in Paris and Global Student Square to raise awareness of refugees. Over a period of 12 weeks we reported, wrote and created stories, photos, videos, maps, infographics and news articles focused on the life of refugees throughout their journey of seeking new homes around the world.
The Association Pierre Claver teaches refugees about French life, culture and language. Their motto is “Aide aux demandeurs d’asile” meaning “Help to all asylum seekers.” They have full-day educational programs for refugees, sports teams for runners and football players, food and friendship at their school building located in the 7th arrondissement of Paris.
Global Student Square is an international student journalism network based in Oakland, California. Executive Director Beatrice Motamedi came to Paris and taught us journalism skills and took us on field trips to the Claver school and to refugee camps in Paris so that we could learn more about what is happening in our part of the world.
And the American School of Paris, located in Saint-Cloud west of Paris, is our home and high school, founded in 1946. Though ASP is an American school, students come from 64 different countries including France and speak 33 different mother-tongue languages. About one-quarter of ASP’s population changes every year, so besides language and culture we can empathize with those in transition and on journeys.
Why did the students of ASP decide to do a project about global migration? Living as we do in Europe, which is the center of the refugee crisis, we wanted to help spread more awareness around the world to other students and help them have an open mind about why so many people are moving from country to country to seek protection. By creating events such as the ASP-Claver soccer game, and visiting Claver to help refugee students to tell their stories in photos and videos, we have created some special bonds.
As you read our work, we hope you will learn and understand more about the people that some call "migrants" and others call “refugees” or “asylum seekers.” But for us here today, in many cases they have become our fellow students and our friends. —Wonsuk Han
Here Today was made possible at the American School of Paris with the generous support of The Excellence Fund.
