BEEDIE LUMINARIES — From our 2019 Cohort, Nour Suliman is currently completing her Bachelor of Science (Major in Behavioural Neuroscience and Minor in Microbiology and Immunology) at the University of British Columbia with aspirations to one day become a practicing physician and a successful recipient of the Graduate Studies Award. Over the past 5 years with Nour in our program, she has inspired all of us with her grit, resilience, and passion for helping others. Her impact has undoubtedly extended beyond the Beedie Luminaries community. Notably, Conversations That Matter has been committed to sharing Nour’s story across time and space.
Conversations That Matter first interviewed Nour in 2020 about her journey from Syria to Canada as a refugee. Now, in 2023, they invited her back to discuss the last 7 years of her life in Canada and what lies ahead.
Today, we are proud to share both interviews as a part of this exclusive feature with Nour’s personal comments.
CONVERSTIONS THAT MATTER – Thank you Canada: A Syrian refugee’s story (w/ Nour Suliman, Beedie Luminaries Scholarship recipient) (2020)
CONVERSTIONS THAT MATTER – Life in Canada after fleeing Syria (w/ Nour Suliman) (2023)
Upon release of this interview, Nour wanted to clarify and expand on her statements from the chat.
“Before the war, my family and relatives, like many other Syrians, enjoyed a very comfortable lifestyle where each family own their own house. Because of the war, many families were forced to flee to neighboring towns in search of safety. My family and relatives were at one point one of those many families. But, in most of the times, nearby towns didn’t have vacant homes for everyone. Thus multiple families usually had to share available homes together. I remember in the last month I lived in Syria (in 2013), my family, my uncle’s, my aunt’s, and my grandmother had to share a three-bedroom apartment.
Living through all of this, witnessing how someone could lose everything they once owned in the blink of an eye, and how circumstances can force someone to let go of the life they have built, taught me how to never tie my happiness to anything materialistic. Since material things can always be replaced, and that there are things in the world that are more important and irreplaceable such as health, family, and safety.”
Nour Suliman, 2023
Thank you for sharing your story, Nour!
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