Welcome to 'I see you!' Den Helder

Welcome to 'I See You!', an outdoor exhibition by the Museum of Humanity about real encounters between people from different worlds. The newcomers come from eight different countries: Turkey, Somalia, Pakistan, Georgia, Yemen, Algeria, Syria, and Ukraine. Most newcomers live in the Den Helder Doggershoek asylum seekers' center. For this exhibition, they met with a resident of Den Helder.

Each pair found common ground in a shared passion, hobby, or profession – from dance to shipping, from healthcare to education. Each duo finds common ground in a shared passion, hobby, or profession – from dance to shipping, from healthcare to education. Be moved by their portraits and stories. What happens when two worlds collide? What do they recognize in each other? And what do they share, despite their different stories?

Below you can find the English stories from 'I see you!' Den Helder:

Rik | 1964
Salomé | 2000

‘We speak the same language: dance’

Salomé: “I came here with my husband and daughter from Georgia. We fled to the Netherlands nine months ago due to political problems. Now we have to wait and see if we can stay, but going back is no longer an option.”

Rik: “Newcomers have a lot to deal with. They have to learn Dutch, integrate, you name it. It all makes sense, but it leaves little room for personal growth. I think that's a shame.”

Salomé: "I am a professional dancer in the traditional Georgian style. In my country, many people know me as a dancer, but here I am unknown. Dance is my life, and I want to be an ambassador for my culture and our traditional dance.“

Rik: ”Many people know me from my dance school. I can't imagine life without dance. Even if I ever end up in a wheelchair, I'll still find ways to keep dancing. I'm sure the same goes for Salomé."

Salomé: “I hope to be able to continue my profession here and get in touch with other dancers. We share something that brings so much joy!”

Rik: “When I signed up for ‘Ik zie jou!’, I thought I had to find work for Salomé. That caused a moment of panic, but I soon discovered that the project is mainly about human contact—two people from completely different worlds meeting each other.”

Salomé: “Rik is such a nice man, full of passion and energy. It's to his credit that he immediately wanted to do something for me. I would love to get to know him better and who knows, maybe we can work together someday.”

Rik: “Salomé, I would like to make you a proposal to dance together. I have your cell phone number, so I'll call you soon. What is it? I'll keep that a secret for now!”

Nastahe: “I was born in the capital of Somalia, Mogadishu. My husband has passed away and I have two sons. We live together in the asylum seekers’ center here in Den Helder. The three of us sleep in one room.”

Miranda: “I was born in Den Helder and live here with my husband, son, and daughter. My son is 21, my daughter is 18—they both still live at home.”

Nastahe: “I wake up at six in the morning and make breakfast for my sons. At eight o'clock, I take them to school. I like to help out at school and I like to cook. I really like cheese, as well as chicken and rice. In Somalia, I worked in a restaurant as a cook.”

Miranda: “My day is quite similar to Nastahe's. I also get up at six o'clock to shower, have breakfast, and read the newspaper. I like to eat a sandwich with cheese — just like Nastahe. Then I cycle to work. I teach children with intellectual disabilities.”

Nastahe: “I like social work and I love children. That's why I help out in the classroom three days a week. By the way, I also love elderly people. Hi and bye is a bit different from salam aleikum.”

Miranda: "We hadn't met before. I visited the Open Asylum Seekers' Center Day with my children to learn about a different way of life and living. My children have their own room — that's very different in an asylum seekers' center, of course."

Nastahe: “I've been on the waiting list for my own home for a while. I think that would be really good and nice.”

Semi | 1987
Hans | 1965

Hans: “I teach tourism and have been on vacation in Turkey. It's sad to think that for us it's a choice to go, while for Semi it was a forced choice to leave his country.”  

Semi: “I was born in the city of Konya. My wife and I studied in Istanbul, where we fell in love. She likes my eyes. Our sons have dark eyes, just like their mother. I taught children aged 7 to 12.”  

Hans: “I have three children who live in Amsterdam. They thought Den Helder was too small and wanted to live in a big city. Fortunately, I see them regularly.”  

Semi: "We chose the Netherlands because it is a democratic country. When we arrived, we first stayed in Ter Apel for ten days. That wasn't a pleasant time. In Turkey, I lived in different cities. I love cities.”  

Hans: ”We both love horses and sometimes see each other at the riding school, where Semi volunteers one day a week. We have plans to go out for a bite to eat and a drink together soon.“  

Hans: ”Semi and I had a good conversation. We both come from an educational background and are very curious. We talked about what comes back in every life: contact, contracts, relationships, and achievements."  

Semi: “I think a lot and worry often. Many of my friends still live in Turkey. I miss them. They are afraid to call, so we have little contact. I don't want to smile in the photo because my heart hurts.”  

Semi: “I have many hobbies: horses, of course, but also eating and drinking, chess, table tennis, and gardening. My vegetable garden is important to me – it's just a shame that the moles destroy so much of it.”  

Selda | 1979
Debby | 1977

Selda: “Is Debby almost 50? Then you're Sara in the Netherlands.”

Debby: “That's right! And I was born on Liberation Day. That's a nice day to have your birthday.”

Selda: “I have two sons. The youngest, who is 16, doesn't speak Dutch very well. He is a bit lonely and has no friends. This is a social problem. My eldest son lives in Poland and studies psychology. He recently visited us for a month. It was very hard for my youngest son to say goodbye.”

Debby: “I have three children aged 19, 17, and 12. Selda's children and mine don't know each other. They lead busy lives with school, sports, and their social lives. I work as a teacher and coordinator at a vocational school. We also have children from the asylum seekers' center at school.”

Selda: “Debby is very cheerful and helpful. I like that. She has no prejudices. Debby is very open.”

Debby: “I think Selda is a strong woman. The journey Selda has had to make to get here is admirable. Choosing uncertainty because of insecurity in your own country and then having to leave everything behind...” People said that the sparrows were falling off the roof. I didn't understand that. Why would birds fall off the roof?“

Selda: "Ik volg Nederlandse les en ik vind het leuk om naar de bibliotheek te gaan. Ik lees graag Nederlandse en Turkse boeken. De Nederlandse taal is soms moeilijk. In de zomer was het warm en

Debby: ”I also like to read and I enjoy many other things, such as tennis, meeting friends, doing fun things, visiting museums. But I also love doing nothing for a while."

Selda: “I haven't been in the Netherlands for very long. The Turkish government considers me a refugee. We don't know what our future will look like yet."

Hala | 1969
Bernard | 1952

Bernard: “In Den Helder, people have very different opinions about newcomers. Why am I participating in ‘Ik zie jou!’? Because I want to connect with newcomers and make them feel welcome. That's the only way we can live together in peace.”

Hala: “I worked in aviation in Syria. It's nice to talk to Bernard about work, also because we speak the same language. In aviation, every letter has the same meaning everywhere in the world. My name, Hala, is: hotel, alpha, lima, hotel. Then Bernard immediately knows what I mean.”

Bernard: “Hala is now learning Dutch four days a week. It's difficult, but she's getting better and better at it. As soon as she gets her residence permit, I want to lovingly help her and her daughters find their place in our society. You have my cell phone number, right?”

Hala: “I am married and the mother of two daughters. I am looking for safety here. The situation in Syria is still very dangerous. The people in the Netherlands are kind and helpful; it feels like I am living with family members.”

Bernard: “Every little boy dreams of becoming a pilot. I got that chance when I was 21 and I served in the Royal Netherlands Navy for thirty years as a tactical coordinator from a helicopter.”

Hala: “I was surprised when I met him at the asylum seekers' center, and I hope there will be many more times to come. Maybe he wants to help me with the language or finding work.”

Bernard: “I can vividly imagine that I would have done the same if I were in her shoes. The hopelessness, the danger, and leaving your husband behind... what mother doesn't want a healthy and safe future for her children?”

Kyryl | 1984
Jafeth | 1989

Jafeth: “Den Helder seems to lean to the right politically, but it's also a city that has welcomed people from all over the world for centuries. I think it's important that newcomers know they are welcome. That may sound counterintuitive in a time full of hatred and envy, but I'm happy to contribute to that.”

Kyryl: “I have been living in the Netherlands since last year with my wife and two children. My family fled earlier; I stayed behind to see if things would improve. During the first days of the war, we were near the front line and heard the Russian bombs falling. We had to find a way to escape unnoticed.”

Jafeth: “My wife told me about Ik zie jou! (I see you!). Kyryl and I got to know each other on the train to the Museum of Humanity. Within a few minutes, I realized that his story was much deeper than I had expected.”

Kyryl: “War changes you. You become more insensitive, get used to bad news, while people are dying. Still, I want to stay positive and contribute something to the Netherlands. People here are honest and direct, which I appreciate.”

Jafeth: “Would you like to stay here forever?”

Kyryl: "Living here was never my plan. A year and a half later, I still feel like a stranger. You are the first person with whom I have had such a personal conversation—that makes me feel good. At the same time, home is no longer home. I would like to stay if I can contribute something. If that doesn't work out, I'd rather leave ; I don't want to be a burden to anyone."

Jafeth: “I hope you start to feel at home here. I'd love to meet you again. Hopefully you feel the same way...”

Kyryl: “Definitely, I'd love to meet your family and I'm curious to see how things develop.”

Cynthia | 1975
Lubna | 1974

Lubna: “We didn't come here for nothing. In Pakistan, we were threatened with death by members of a strict Islamic group. We are seen as ‘friends of the enemy’ because we want to live peacefully with people of other faiths. The sad thing is that our three children are now in hiding with family in Pakistan.”

Cynthia: “Through my work in the delivery room at the hospital, I often come into contact with people from the asylum seekers' center. I notice that many people talk negatively about newcomers without ever having met them personally. I think that's such a shame. Making Den Helder more humane – that appeals to me enormously.”

Lubna: “The people in Den Helder are so beautiful and friendly. So many people smile at us— that makes us feel good. I've come to know Cynthia as a warm woman with a big heart. She came to visit us at the asylum seekers' center, and since then I've gained a friend.”

Cynthia: "It's only when you really talk to each other that you hear the moving stories that newcomers carry with them. What mother leaves her children behind to flee to a foreign country? You only do that if your life is in danger. I can't imagine what it's like for Lubna to start over here – without her children. I hope I can help her find her place here."

Lubna: “My husband is blind, so I take care of him all day. I do that with love, and he always lets me know how grateful he is. Still, it can be hard sometimes. I dream of being able to work here as a lawyer, which is what I have 23 years of experience in. That would make me really happy.”

Ali | 1979
Olivier | 1981

Olivier: “I'm from France and have been living in the Netherlands for fourteen years. After film school, I sailed solo to the Azores. Now, in my art projects, I combine migration and sailing: I want to help people who have experienced a traumatic crossing to rediscover that the sea can also bring peace and freedom.”

Ali: "My life was no longer safe in Yemen. The Houthis saw me as an enemy because I didn't belong to their group. Fleeing was the only option. I left everything behind: my work, my family, and my children. They now live with my mother in Egypt, and I miss them terribly."

Olivier: “I invited Ali to join my project at Willemsoord. His story touched me. What surprised me the most? He didn't come to Europe by sea, but on foot from the Russian border.”

Ali: “It took me eighteen days to walk from Russia via Belarus to Latvia. Then I traveled via Scandinavia and Germany to the Netherlands. It was a dangerous journey, but I had no choice.”

Olivier: "I would never be as strong in his shoes. He is open, curious, and responsible as a father of six children. Much stronger than me.“

Ali: “I do feel stronger since I've been here. Still, I miss my family enormously. It feels like I'm sitting in a waiting room. I'm waiting for my life to start again and hope to be able to work in the port of Rotterdam someday.”

Olivier: ”Secretly, I hoped I would meet someone who wanted to build their own boat with me to sail to England. I just don't know if Ali is up for it. Texel perhaps?"

Ali: “I have a background in logistics and shipping. I don't have any sailing experience yet, but who knows what Olivier and I can do together. What binds us is the sea.”

Adel | 1985
Jamairo | 2006

Jamairo: "Many people think that asylum seekers are young men who come here to cause trouble or steal. I thought it would be interesting to talk to someone who was born outside the Netherlands. I often notice that people think I speak Arabic, even though I am completely Dutch. Sometimes people look at me strangely because of my clothes, but I am just a very nice guy."

Adel: “I am a teacher and fled Algeria because of a political problem. The police came to my house with a ten-page indictment. They falsely accused me of treason.”

Jamairo: "I visited Adel in his room at the asylum seekers' center. We talked for an hour and a half about solar panels, as well as drawing and doing good things for others. I immediately noticed that he is a smart man, and I respect that.“

Adel: ”I want to do good things in my life and develop myself. Some newcomers don't always behave well. I think that's a shame, so I try to teach them lessons about how to clean, how to be proud of their background, and how to be grateful for everything they get here."

Jamairo: “On the street, I sometimes see young newcomers doing bad things. I thought most newcomers were like that, but now I know that's not true. I'm impressed by Adel. He wants to get ahead in life and be given a chance.”

Adel: “Jamairo shows that you can make choices in your life. Like me, he started out in the solar energy market, but now he's a painter. His example encourages me to be brave and try to do what I want. I hope he makes his mother proud of who he is.”

Connection begins with an encounter

Follow the news, read the newspaper: asylum is a loaded topic. We don't offer easy solutions, but we do offer real encounters. With the exhibition “I see you!”, Museum of Humanity invites cities to build bridges between people who might otherwise never meet. Do you see opportunities for another city? Let us know. That's how we create encounters that connect. Send us an message: info@museumofhumanity.nl

About Museum of Humanity

Museum of Humanity We believe that every person has a Masterpiece within them. You will discover this if you look and listen carefully. You will see that every person is beautiful in their own way and has a story that matters. Whether you are a newcomer or were born and raised here. From our permanent museum on the Hembrug site in Zaandam, we bring people closer together through exhibitions, events, workshops, and 'happy art projects'.

Curious? Visit the museum. Our hosts will be happy to tell you more about the remarkable origins of the Museum of Humanity.

Come visit us: Ketelhuis 10, Zaandam Friday and Saturday | always check actual opening hours before you come!