Harry Potter’s a must on London trip with teen as consultant

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Malaysian Muslim women pose for a picture at the Wilayah mosque during the holy month of Ramadan in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. — AFP Young Syrians get 100 pct praise at ‘Refugees Got Talent’ contest in camp elting out an emotional song in honor of Kurdish military and his family have been living at Arbat for two years. Only his school. For while some primary education is provided for chil- popular,” she said in flawless English with an accent that gave forces under a full moon, Syrian refugee Mizzgin Rumi’s brother stayed behind, choosing to fight instead of fleeing. dren up to ninth grade, it is hard for youngsters to get places in away her love of Bollywood films. “I want to be a dancer but my Bshyness transformed to confidence as he captivated his “When we left we thought we’d be coming back,” an exuberant secondary schools and universities mainly because their fami- family says I cannot because I am a girl. It was difficult to tell audience. Rumi, 19, was one of 10 acts on stage at the dusty Rumi, dressed in a smart white shirt, told the Thomson Reuters lies to not have enough money to pay for fees, supplies or them about my dancing - they said this is the last time [I can Arbat refugee camp in the semi-autonomous northern region Foundation. transport. Being locked out of education leaves many young ] then I will dance at home.” of Iraqi competing in the highly-anticipated final of people bored in the camp and “Refugees Got Talent” was ABCD member and friend Amal Mohammad nodded in the talent contest “Refugees Got Talent”. Surrounded by a band Night to remember devised as a way to showcase their skills, ranging from singing agreement, recounting her parents’ reaction to her passion for of professional musicians, Rumi’s singing dazzled hundreds of UNHCR representative to Iraq, Bruno Geddo, said the talent to dancing to break dancing. “(This contest) keeps them dance. “At first my parents said it was shameful - but if we keep refugees, all of whom have fled the war in , and he took the contest was an opportunity for refugees to unite for a night focused on something positive. We witnessed the electricity dancing I believe people will imitate us and it will become more lead in the competition at Arbat where families live in rows of with the sounds of traditional , pop ballads, and and the joy in the eyes of the youth,” said Geddo. normal,” said Mohammad. As committed as ABCD to their Hindi cinder brick homes. Hindi rhythms echoing across the dark, warm evening. He said “It was enormously empowering. We saw last night the routine, so was 17-year-old Wasila Hassan to her Kurdish dance, The show, run along the lines of British music impresario World Refugee Day wanted to highlight the plight but also the tremendous talent and energy of young Syrian refugees. We coming in third place with her dance group Rojava. “We dance Simon Cowell’s global franchise “Got Talent”, was organized by resilience of the 20 million people globally living as refugees, want to help them unleash their potential.” In second place all day long, almost every day. When I dance I forget the world, I the United Nation’s refugee agency UNHCR to mark World with many youngsters in those ranks. An estimated nine million came the quirky Hindi dance ensemble ABCD - Anybody Can just want to keep dancing,” said the teenager, adamant that Refugee Day on Monday and was a major highlight for many in Syrians have fled their homes since the outbreak of civil war in Dance - with five teenage refugee girls led by 17-year-old through dance she could introduce Syrian culture to the world. the camp. Rumi was stunned to be the favorite of the four March 2011, with over three million fleeing to neighboring Rojbin Baroodo, dressed in jeans and a T-shirt. Amal Sleman, a member of the Khalat , said the judges, prompting a rare display of cheers and celebration countries and some 240,000 finding refuge in the neighboring “Dance is my life,” said a jubilant Baroodo who relocated to talent show had been a real boost in the camp. “I like that all of among the more than 7,500 Syrian refugees housed at the Kurdish region of Iraq. Iraq’s Kurdish region two years ago after fleeing the Syrian city my friends can gather together and find a moment to be hap- sprawling camp. The UNHCR estimates there are nearly 8,000 Syrian children of Hassakeh with her family. “Hindi music is not popular in Syria, py,” she said. — Reuters From the war-torn city of Kobane in northern Syria, Rumi and youth living in Sulaymaniyah and most do not attend but when I started doing this [dancing and teaching] it became

An Emirati man raises his hand to bid for the “R Dubai 10” license plate in its An Emirati woman takes a photo of an item displayed during the Emirates Emirati men chat in front of a poster ahead of the Emirates Auction for support- glass case, which was one of many items displayed in the Emirates Auction to Auction in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. ing the Reading Nation Campaign, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. be sold for AED 9.7 million ($ 2.65 million) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Dubai auction of Islamic treasures raises $11m for refugees n auction to raise money for books for Indian-Mogul manuscript of the Quran and a refugee children has raised more than 17th Century handwritten copy each sold for A$11 million in Dubai, including the sale $68,000. Five unique Dubai car plate num- of a more than 100-year-old covering from bers sold for a total of $7 million. the cube-shaped Kaaba that Muslims pray The Reading Nation Ramadan campaign, toward in Makkah. The piece, woven with organized by Dubai as a charity initiative dur- gold and silver, sold Tuesday evening for ing the Muslim holy month, aims to donate An Emirati man talks on his mobile phone next to the “R Dubai 10” license Emirati men look at a rare copy of the Quran in its glass case, which was $572,000 and came from the private collec- 7.3 million books and establish 2,000 school plate in its glass case, which was one of many items displayed in the one of many items displayed in the Emirates Auction in Dubai, United tion of Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin libraries in Arab countries and refugee Emirates Auction to be sold for AED 9.7 million ($ 2.65 million) in Dubai, Arab Emirates. — AP photos Rashid Al Maktoum. An early 19th Century camps.—AP United Arab Emirates.