A new sign of life: Mohamad is looking for his missing father in Syria

A new sign of life: Mohamad is looking for his missing father in Syria

In an extraordinary history of survival and hope, Mohamad, a Syrian orphan, is raised by the Hourie family in Germany. His father, who was missing during the civil war, recently sent a sign of life when a picture of him appeared in a hospital. The Hourie family, who has taken up Mohamad since his escape from Syria, is now planning to travel to Aleppo to further explore the situation while the boy is well integrated in his new home in Bad Buchau. "Fortunately, the homesickness has disappeared," says Kafaa, the foster mother, while Father Alfred Tönnis, who brought Mohamad to Germany, is convinced that the boy will make his way, like the Schwäbische reported.

a torn home and new hopes

parallel to Mohamad's story, the documentary “A Broken House” by Jimmy Goldblum illuminates the memories of the Syrian architect Mohamad Hafez, who lives in the USA and creates model representations of his hometown to channel its nostalgic feelings. The film conveys the message: "If you can't return home, why don't you make your own home?" Hafez describes his inner tornness. The loss of his homeland through the war overthrew him into a dual reality in which he is constantly informed about the tragedies in Syria, while at the same time leading his life in the USA. This painfulness is also felt by Kafaa and her husband Mohamad, who worry about Mohamad in the face of the uncertain situation in Syria. The documentary shows that the destruction not only affects the buildings, but also the memories and the legacy of a people, which deepens the emotional connections to the homeland, such as Archdaily emphasized.

The trip of the Hourie family shows the challenges and hopes associated with an escape, while Hafez's creative processing of his homesickness illustrates the emotional loss of many refugees. Both stories are closely connected because they reflect the universal longing for home and identity in times of war.