After Single Syrian Refugee Arrives, Mexico Still Has No Formal Plans to Receive More Gabriela Gorbea - VICE News
go to original September 25, 2015

Mexico has received its first Syrian refugee, a student named Essa Hassan who landed in the country this week with the help of a group focused on students fleeing the war-torn country.

Hassan was greeted by a group of reporters and supporters at Mexico City's Benito Juarez International Airport on Wednesday. The student thanked the crowd for its support, but emphasized he wished to return to Syria some day.

...Hassan has been offered a spot at the Panamerican University in the state of Aguascalientes, where he will enroll in a four-year program for a master's degree. Hassan will also receive Spanish classes and will be given time to properly adjust to Mexican culture.

The 26-year-old student arrived to Mexico through a local aid group called Project Habesha, created to help Syrian student migrants in need. The organization collaborated with international groups to pick a total of 30 refugees between 18 and 26 years whose studies had been interrupted by the civil war.

Mexican law currently has no legal procedure to deal with refugees, a situation Project Habesha wishes to change. Mexican foreign secretary Claudia Ruiz Massieu earlier this month said the government is considering the possibility of receiving some refugees in the future, but said authorities were barely exploring the topic.

Read the rest at VICE News

Photo: Ginnette Riquelme/Reuters

We invite you to add your charity or supporting organizations' news stories and coming events to PVAngels so we can share them with the world. Do it now!