I was trying to find a country that for sure would have very limited connection to Syria. I figured New Zealand, practically on the other side of the world with a population of only 4.3 million, would have few ties with Syria. What a misconception.
I knew that in their newspaper there would be a lot of up to date information about Syria and as I read through some of the articles on one of their leading newspaper's websites, The New Zealand Herald, I was surprised to find a group, Syrian Solidity New Zealand (SSNZ), kept reappearing. This group even has a Facebook page and compared to other (must log in to see search) peace pages for Syria on a Facebook group search, they have a decent amount of likes at 252 (As of 4/16/2012).
On the home page, their website offers live up to date twitter feeds on what is going on in Syria. A link on their website is a timeline that is through BBC News Middle East and offers "a chronology of key events" dating back to 1918.
Pictures on their Facebook page say a lot about their feelings towards freedom. The feelings that I identified as what they might be feeling through their photos are anger and determination. What are your interpretations of these photos? I chose these photos at random but you can also see these photos and express your opinion as a post (must log in to see photos).
It is amazing to see a country like New Zealand support the Syrian revolution through Syrian Solidarity NZ. For people that are given political freedom, it must be difficult to imagine living with such oppression. The stance taken against the violation of human rights is possible through the outlet of the media. The strong images and text connect the two places even though they are oceans apart. Organizing and rallying for support abroad becomes easier when there is a human element and people can put a face to the conflict.
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