1000 Dreams

The Heinrich Böll Foundation, Washington, DC and Witness Change are proud to present 1000 Dreams, a project about refugees, by refugees.

Our understanding of the refugee experience, which we define as those who see themselves as displaced, not only people formally designated as refugees, most often comes through stories told by people who are not refugees, which can lead to incomplete and biased narratives. Refugees (and others experiencing forced migration) are often depicted as either a threat to the host society and their identity, or, helpless victims who must be rescued. These stereotypes create attitudes that affect policies and practices and can have severe negative impacts on the lives of refugees and the societies in which they find themselves. Moreover, these stereotypes don’t take into account the huge diversity of refugee experiences. 

For the narrative to change, refugees must tell their own stories, in their own words. 1000 Dreams amplifies stories of people experiencing forced migration, allowing others to learn about their strengths, their challenges, and their dreams.

The interviews and photographs that make up “1000 Dreams” have been produced by more than 100 refugees worldwide. Every refugee storyteller has completed a workshop and mentorship program with Witness Change, where they’ve learned photography and interviewing skills.

“1000 Dreams” is a project created and run by Witness Change. While not all participants have formal refugee or asylum status, all have experienced displacement and self-identify as refugees. Read all their stories at 1000dreamsproject.com.