SULAYMANIYAH, Iraq: Belting out an emotional song under a full moon, Syrian refugee Mizzgin Rumi’s shyness transformed to confidence as he captivated his audience.
Rumi, 19, was one of 10 acts on stage at the dusty Arbat refugee camp in the semi-autonomous northern region of Iraqi Kurdistan competing in the highly-anticipated final of the talent contest “Refugees Got Talent.”
Surrounded by a band of professional musicians, Rumi’s singing dazzled hundreds of refugees, all of whom have fled the war in Syria, and he took the lead in the competition at Arbat where families live in rows of cinder brick homes.
The show, run along the lines of British music impresario Simon Cowell’s global franchise “Got Talent,” was organized by the United Nation’s refugee agency UNHCR to mark World Refugee Day on Monday and was a major highlight for many in the camp.
Rumi was stunned to be the favorite of the four judges, prompting a rare display of cheers and celebration among the more than 7,500 Syrian refugees housed at the sprawling camp.
From the war-torn city of Kobani in northern Syria, Rumi and his family have been living at Arbat for two years. Only his brother stayed behind, choosing to fight instead of fleeing.
Being locked out of education leaves many young people bored in the camp and “Refugees Got Talent” was devised as a way to showcase their skills, ranging from singing to dancing to break dancing.
“(This contest) keeps them focused on something positive. We witnessed the electricity and the joy in the eyes of the youth,” said UNHCR representative to Iraq, Bruno Geddo.
“It was enormously empowering. We saw last night the tremendous talent and energy of young Syrian refugees. We want to help them unleash their potential.”
In second place came the quirky Hindi dance ensemble ABCD — Anybody Can Dance — with five teenage refugee girls led by 17-year-old Rojbin Baroodo, dressed in jeans and a T-shirt.
“Dance is my life,” said a jubilant Baroodo who relocated to Iraq’s Kurdish region two years ago after fleeing the Syrian city of Hassakeh with her family.
“Hindi music is not popular in Syria, but when I started doing this [dancing and teaching] it became popular,” she said in flawless English with an accent that gave away her love of Bollywood films.
Rumi, 19, was one of 10 acts on stage at the dusty Arbat refugee camp in the semi-autonomous northern region of Iraqi Kurdistan competing in the highly-anticipated final of the talent contest “Refugees Got Talent.”
Surrounded by a band of professional musicians, Rumi’s singing dazzled hundreds of refugees, all of whom have fled the war in Syria, and he took the lead in the competition at Arbat where families live in rows of cinder brick homes.
The show, run along the lines of British music impresario Simon Cowell’s global franchise “Got Talent,” was organized by the United Nation’s refugee agency UNHCR to mark World Refugee Day on Monday and was a major highlight for many in the camp.
Rumi was stunned to be the favorite of the four judges, prompting a rare display of cheers and celebration among the more than 7,500 Syrian refugees housed at the sprawling camp.
From the war-torn city of Kobani in northern Syria, Rumi and his family have been living at Arbat for two years. Only his brother stayed behind, choosing to fight instead of fleeing.
Being locked out of education leaves many young people bored in the camp and “Refugees Got Talent” was devised as a way to showcase their skills, ranging from singing to dancing to break dancing.
“(This contest) keeps them focused on something positive. We witnessed the electricity and the joy in the eyes of the youth,” said UNHCR representative to Iraq, Bruno Geddo.
“It was enormously empowering. We saw last night the tremendous talent and energy of young Syrian refugees. We want to help them unleash their potential.”
In second place came the quirky Hindi dance ensemble ABCD — Anybody Can Dance — with five teenage refugee girls led by 17-year-old Rojbin Baroodo, dressed in jeans and a T-shirt.
“Dance is my life,” said a jubilant Baroodo who relocated to Iraq’s Kurdish region two years ago after fleeing the Syrian city of Hassakeh with her family.
“Hindi music is not popular in Syria, but when I started doing this [dancing and teaching] it became popular,” she said in flawless English with an accent that gave away her love of Bollywood films.
