Voices in Exile

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Voices in Exile

Voices in Exile: Amplifying the resilience and insights of activists displaced due to their advocacy.

01/08/2026

Who supports diaspora media when the voices matter most?

Gezahegn Demissie is an Ethiopian journalist, writer, and filmmaker working in exile in Canada. Through his media work, he connects the Ethiopian diaspora with Canadian society while amplifying voices from Ethiopia that are often silenced.

His journey shows why diaspora media matters for human rights, inclusion, and democratic dialogue, even when resources and recognition are limited.

01/01/2026

✨🥳 Voices in Exile | Reflecting on 2025, Welcoming 2026 🥳✨

From January to December, we listened to voices that crossed borders and amplified the work of activists and experts in exile shaping struggles for human rights, peace, and justice worldwide.

As we welcome 2026, we recommit to listening, learning, and standing in solidarity.

12/31/2025

🚨👉🚨 From Judge to Global Peacebuilder: Vesna Markovic’s Journey

Vesna Markovic, a former judge from the former Yugoslavia, shares how exile became a turning point rather than an end. After relocating to Canada in 1997, she dedicated her career to conflict prevention and peacebuilding across the Balkans, Africa, and Latin America.

For 13 years with UNDP, Vesna worked as a conflict prevention specialist, focusing on insider mediation and the importance of local engagement, national capacity-building, and sustainable peace.

Her story reminds us that lasting peace is built with communities, not imposed on them, and that expertise in exile continues to shape global justice efforts.

▶️ Watch and listen as Vesna reflects on mediation and peacebuilding.

12/25/2025

✨ Season’s Greetings and Christmas Wishes from Voices in Exile ✨

This Christmas season invites us to pause, reflect, and listen.

We honour the voices that cross borders, the stories shaped by courage, loss, and hope, and the activists in exile who continue to stand for justice, even when home is far away.

At Voices in Exile, we remain committed to ensuring that displacement does not mean silence. We are deeply grateful to our community, partners, and supporters for keeping these voices present in global conversations.

Wishing everyone peace, warmth, and solidarity this Christmas.

12/24/2025

🌍 Resilience. Dignity. Solidarity.

This video highlights the work of our Voices in Exile colleague Victor, Executive Director of Vision GRAM-International, whose long-term commitment to women and children affected by war was recognised on International Women’s Day in Ottawa.

At Voices in Exile, we believe that sustained action rooted in compassion can transform lives. This recognition honours not only Victor’s dedication, but also the courage of women and children who continue to resist and rebuild despite violence and displacement.

12/20/2025

🚨 NEW Blog Alert: The Marie-Ange Garrigue Prize — Sherwan Sherwani’s Fight for Freedom

In this deeply personal reflection, Diary Marif, a Vancouver-based Kurdish writer and journalist, shares what receiving PEN Canada’s 2025 Marie-Ange Garrigue Prize truly represents. The recognition is not about personal achievement, but about standing in solidarity with imprisoned Kurdish journalist Sherwan Sherwani.

The blog highlights Sherwani’s courage, resilience, and commitment to freedom of expression, even after years of politically motivated imprisonment in Iraqi Kurdistan. It is also a call for international attention and collective responsibility in defending writers and journalists at risk.

Every voice raised in solidarity matters.

👉 Read the full blog: https://voicesinexile.ca/blog/the-marie-ange-garrigue-prize-sherwan-sherwanis-fight-for-freedom

12/13/2025

This speaks to the journey of Natalia Botero, an award-winning Colombian photojournalist and human rights activist whose work documented war, forced disappearances, and the long search for truth in Colombia.

Her reporting centered families, especially women, who refused to stop searching for their loved ones. That commitment came with threats, kidnapping, and exile.

Now living in Canada, Natalia continues her advocacy for memory, justice, and freedom of expression, showing that exile does not silence the truth.

12/10/2025

🌍 Human Rights Day — December 10

Today we celebrate the courage of those who defend human rights even when it pushes them into exile.
They left home — but not their commitment to justice, dignity, and truth.

At Voices in Exile, we honour every story, every struggle, and every act of resistance.

✨ Every exile carries a story.
✨ Every story deserves rights.

Let’s stand together with Activists-in-Exile around the world.

12/06/2025

🌟 We’re proud to share this beautiful event by our Voices in Exile colleague, Colombian photographer Natalia Botero! 🌟

Her project, Reflections of Migration, explores identity, memory, and the emotional journeys of migrants through powerful photography and personal stories. Twelve Colombian women shared their experiences, creating a deeply moving exhibition.

📅 Event Details:
🗓 Wednesday, Dec 17
⏰ 5:00 PM
📍 Jennifer Whiteside, MLA Constituency Office — 335 Sixth St, New Westminster
🎶 Featuring live music by Yesenia Florez
📞 Reserve your spot: 604-775-2101

If you’re in Vancouver, New Westminster, or anywhere in the Lower Mainland or visiting on that date, this is a beautiful opportunity to experience art, storytelling, and community.

Let’s support Natalia and this meaningful reflection on migration. ❤️

12/03/2025

Meet Yasser Essa – Sudanese Peacebuilder & Governance Advocate

Born in Darfur during the genocide and forced into exile after the 2021 military coup, Yasser’s journey has been shaped by conflict, resilience, and a deep commitment to justice.

He now works through global diasporic networks and digital platforms to support Sudanese communities, advocate for peace, and call for an end to the ongoing war.

His story reminds us that even in displacement, the struggle for peace and dignity never stops.

11/28/2025

🤔What Exile Takes — What Exile Gives

Exile is a story of both loss and rebuilding.
It takes away home, identity, and community,
but it also creates new space for safety, freedom, activism, and connection.

For activists in exile, this journey is difficult and deeply emotional…
yet it is also a powerful testament to resilience and courage.

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Ottawa, ON

Telephone

+16135625775

Website

https://www.voicesinexile.me/

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Humanics Institute
3468 Old Montreal Road (Cumberland)

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