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"50 seconds in the middle of a conflict"

Portugal with UNHCR takes sensory experience to the streets with new awareness campaign



The latest national partner of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) begins its awareness-raising work with a unique sensory campaign on the streets of Lisbon that promises to transport people to the reality of those who are forced to flee their homes due to conflict. In parallel, it intends to innovate by involving not only the individual person, but also families in UNHCR's work.

Today is a day like many others in Lisbon: the alarm clock goes off, we get up, go to work, or take care of personal or pending matters, in case it's a day off. But what if our normality was interrupted by a series of frenetic and disconcerting sounds of sirens, bombs and, in the background, the desperate voice of a mother trying to protect herself and her child?

The unexpected start of a conflict can change the reality for millions of people in a matter of seconds. And this is precisely the experience that Portugal with UNHCR wants to simulate with the new awareness campaign and involvement of donors that has on the streets of several cities in the country, the first "Face to Face" of the organization.

"The message we want to get across is that these situations could happen to us and that it is important to put ourselves in the other's shoes. No one chooses to be a refugee, but many of us can choose to donate, to educate about this reality and help people forced to flee," says the National Director of Portugal with UNHCR, Joana Brandão.

During this sensory experience, the person who is approached by the Portugal with UNHCR teams is invited to listen to an audio and for about 50 seconds to feel, with closed eyes, some of the fear and anguish of those who are forced to flee to survive. A reality that is not even that distant from us with the current war in Ukraine.

The importance and relevance of this campaign, especially these days, led actress Dalila Carmo to immediately agree to be the voice behind the sensory experience. "I collaborated because I believe it is urgent to promote empathy between people and the context in which millions of refugees live. I am happy to be able to help in some way and I hope people will help too."

A sentiment shared by Nalina, from Portugal's Face to Face team with UNHCR, who believes this is a way to make a difference. "We live in difficult times and it is up to each of us to make our contribution to leave the world a little better than we found it. Collaborating with Portugal with UNHCR and knowing that my work is changing the lives of people who have been forced to flee their homes is priceless."



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