Refugees hope to stay on P.E.I., says UNICEF

UNICEF is on P.E.I. this week interviewing Syrian refugees, and finding positive examples of how the refugees have been greeted by the local community.

UNICEF is talking to Syrian refugees all around the world as part of an international documentary. P.E.I. is the only Canadian province to be featured.

Chris Tidey, a communication specialist with UNICEF, has been traveling with a filmmaker and photographer, looking at the issues facing refugee families who are on the move, and those who have reached their destination countries.

Making refugees feel at home

Tidey said UNICEF chose to highlight P.E.I. because it's an example of a place where refugees have been embraced by the community.

"P.E.I. has a reputation for being really community-focused and really a very friendly place," he said.

"What I'm hearing and what I've seen certainly is that's definitely the case. A number of the families that we've spoken to, the refugee families, have actually said that the community here has been really wonderful, and really reached out to them and helped to make them feel at home."

Tidey said most of the refugees he spoke with say they want to stay on P.E.I. instead of heading off to bigger cities.

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