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It has been three years since thousands of Syrian refugees living in neighboring countries have worked or attended school. They were forced from their country due to the war. Life is difficult for the refugees, but it is also hard on the host country’s economy as well as international aid groups. Listen to hear more about Syrian refugees.
Read MoreDebate: What is America's Responsibility to Syrian Refugees?
The Obama administration promised to welcome 10,000 Syrian refugees into the country this year, but it has made little progress toward this goal. A top refugee official explains how the U.S. will keep working to fulfill this promise. Citizens and politicians alike have strong opinions on refugee issues. Some people think we must invite those in trouble into our country, while others worry that welcoming refugees could threaten our safety. Government officials hope to listen to all concerns as they work to protect people’s safety at home and abroad. Listen to this story and then have your students debate America’s responsibility to Syrian refugees.
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In the fifth year of the Syrian civil war, more than 250,000 Syrians have lost their lives and more than 11 million people have fled their homes. The city of Aleppo in Syria remains under siege and rebel areas are being bombarded daily by warplanes, killing hundreds of people. The cease-fire between the Russian supported Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad and the U.S. backed rebel groups collapsed. There was a deadly attack on a humanitarian convoy, which led to the United Nations halting aid to Syria. In addition to aerial attacks, there are ground offensives, and the water supply was cut off to the opposition-held half of the city. Listen to hear more about the escalation of fighting in Syria.
Read MoreCURRENT EVENT | April 4, 2017
Since the start of the civil war in Syria in 2011, the neighboring country of Jordan has taken in more than 650,000 Syrian refugees. Many of these refugees were farmers in Syria and are leaving behind their ancestral land. Only one in 10 Syrian refugees in Jordan live in camps, the rest live mostly in cities. For farmers, city and camp life is a difficult transition, so many gravitate towards farms in Jordan where they live and work as migrant laborers. Listen to learn more about Syrian farmers living in Jordan and the effect of migration on their families.
Story Length: 6:13
© 2017
02/05/2017
https://app.listenwise.com/students/events/881-syrian-refugees-in-jordan
Classroom Discussion Themes