When I was little, I learnt about all the different coloured races in the world. I wondered why each of them were living on different parts of the planet. I understood that there are several climates on Earth, each human race having its own specific characteristics making them able to cope under various conditions such as extreme high or low temperatures. I thought how amazing it would be if one day all of these races were spread all over the world.
Little did I know that in fact, this would happen. In fact, it is happening, right now, and has been for a good number of years. But I never anticipated the way migration was to develop. The way we are experiencing the phenomenon, is (1) where under the rapid rise of the worldwide web, the immeasurable internet, people are easily able to connect. By nature we are inquisitive and curious, eager to travel and discover new lands, not unlike our pioneers. Some of them may simply want to have a holiday, others may consider longterm moves for the purpose of work, just to name a simple example; and (2), in many cases people are forced to migrate under desperate circumstances because of incessant wars or falling economy.
The result: confusion of identity, stress, friction, racism, depression, and even family violence. There are migrants and refugees from all over the world. Many of these refugees without choice to which country they end up in, some of them not even aware that their new country can be a safe place to live. Huge psychological damage or physical abuse can make it extremely difficult to integrate into a whole new culture. It’s not always easy for the local population either to accept a sudden influx of foreigners, whether they came here of free will, or if arriving as refugees. There is a fear of the unknown. We need to show understanding for both sides of the spectrum. That’s why it is so important to learn about each other’s cultures. Because one thing is for sure: population diversity will increase for some time to come yet.
BiograView, Perspectives from around the globe (the magazine) aims to approach the inevitable blending of cultures from a positive perspective. It is the perfect opportunity to learn from each other and to enrich our knowledge and resources. We all have something positive to bring to the table. We can acknowledge one another in peace while maintaining harmony. BiograView gives us an opportunity to to see a glimpse into different cultures. We can only celebrate the drive and determination and what it takes to succeed in a strange world. BiograView the magazine was inspired by HOMELANDS THEN & NOW (2018), which contains migrant stories. Some called them “biographies”; I called them experiences and “viewpoints”. Broken down, the word ‘BiograView’ is a combination of biography and view.
In short: to raise positive awareness of the multitudes of cultures we live amongst. In my mind (and looking throughout history) there is no single person in any country who has not travelled from a different part of the world and therefore we are all migrants, whether primary, secondary, or going back further down the line.
I strongly feel the need to keep these stories going. Now, more than ever we need to open our hearts. It is our responsibility to create a peaceful world for our children and our future.
Some may say we are no more than specks of dust in the entire universe. Together we are what we call a community. It is time we acknowledge each other and accept our differences in peace. Learn from each other and with our enriched perspectives, re-enter the world in a new light.
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