Harbingers’ Magazine is a weekly online current affairs magazine written and edited by teenagers worldwide.
harbinger | noun
har·bin·ger | \ˈhär-bən-jər\
1. one that initiates a major change: a person or thing that originates or helps open up a new activity, method, or technology; pioneer.
2. something that foreshadows a future event : something that gives an anticipatory sign of what is to come.
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Sofiya Suleimenova and OXSFJ tutor Tatev Hovhannisyan visit Humade Crafts Workshop of Solidarity Lesvos
In the summer of 2023, 16-year-old Sofiya reported on the lives and hopes of children and teenagers in Greece.
The two-week feature writing workshop included Athens, the Ritsona Refugee Camp and the island of Lesvos.
Sofiya visited the Ritsona Refugee Camp, participated in the Humade Crafts Workshop of Solidarity Lesvos and interviewed the editors of Migratory Birds, giving voice to teenage journalists. The trip allowed Sofiya to publish three important features and — soon after — contributed to her promotion to the international affairs editor and the managing editor of the Afghanistan newsroom project, under which Harbingers’ teaches journalism to girls whose education has been limited since the Taliban took over.
Sofiya Suleimenova Inside Greek refugee camp Ritsona’s mission to ‘safeguard human rights’
“While being shown around the camp, which now is home to largely Sub-Saharan refugees, most of the residents were inside their caravan-style Isoboxes or chatting under the shade of tents and trees, hiding from the unbearable summer heat.
A daily truck with water and food supplies arrived and the residents were taking packages out. The on-campus kindergarten was empty for summer vacation, and children were seen running around the camp.
Among the residents, a group of asylum seekers gathered to share their stories about how they reached Greece, how the camp is supporting them, and the struggles they face which included frustrations with the asylum procedure.
“Since March 2023, 50 young people actively participate in various workshops and 15-20 take part in editorials.
One of the project’s main focuses is the newspaper Migratory Birds, which is produced by young refugees, immigrants and Greeks.
The issues produced by them in five languages (English, Greek, Farsi, Arabic and Urdu) are published by the newspaper EfSyn.
All copies distributed across Greece, including schools and refugee camps, are free.
“Lesvos – a Greek island located in the Aegean Sea bordering the Turkish coast – hosted the largest influx of refugees in 2015. Over the years, as the numbers remained high, the conditions in the camps where the asylum seekers resided were poor and the environmental impact aggravated.
Lesvos Solidarity decided to launch HCW as a way to support those seeking refuge and address the issue of massive amounts of waste piled on the coasts of Lesvos. “The idea of the whole project was to help refugees”, Yioula highlights.
Harbingers’ Magazine is an outlet created by and for young people who want to report, reflect, and make an impact.
We’re looking for writers, editors, photographers, designers, and curious minds worldwide to join our growing community. Whether you’re an aspiring journalist or just eager to explore the world through words, Harbingers’ Academy offers mentorship, real-world publishing experience, and the chance to contribute to conversations that matter.
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