Where the Children Sleep

A photo exhibit about refugee children in Europe and Middle East by Magnus Wennman

Farah, who fled Syria, loves soccer. Her dad tries to make soccer balls for her using anything he can find, but they don't last long. Every night, he puts Farah and her big sister Tisam, 9, to bed hoping that tomorrow will bring them a proper soccer ball to play with. All other dreams seem to be beyond his reach, but he is not giving up on this one.
© Magnus Wennman

June 2016

A girl afraid to close her eyes. A boy without a bed. 

A child who dreams of when bedtime didn’t bring terror. 

More than two million children have been forced from their homes by the war in Syria. Refugee children in neighbouring countries or making journeys through Europe show us where they sleep while they await an uncertain future. 

Swedish photographer Magnus Wennman, winner of two World Press Photo Awards, has partnered with UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency to raise awareness about refugee children.​ UNHCR, in close collaboration with Fotografiska - The Swedish Museum of Photography, has brought his award-winning exhibit to the United States for the first time. 

  • Farah, who fled Syria, loves soccer. Her dad tries to make soccer balls for her using anything he can find, but they don't last long. Every night, he puts Farah and her big sister Tisam, 9, to bed hoping that tomorrow will bring them a proper soccer ball to play with. All other dreams seem to be beyond his reach, but he is not giving up on this one.
    Farah, who fled Syria, loves soccer. Her dad tries to make soccer balls for her using anything he can find, but they don't last long. Every night, he puts Farah and her big sister Tisam, 9, to bed hoping that tomorrow will bring them a proper soccer ball to play with. All other dreams seem to be beyond his reach, but he is not giving up on this one. © Magnus Wennman
  • Farah, who fled Syria, loves soccer. Her dad tries to make soccer balls for her using anything he can find, but they don't last long. Every night, he puts Farah and her big sister Tisam, 9, to bed hoping that tomorrow will bring them a proper soccer ball to play with. All other dreams seem to be beyond his reach, but he is not giving up on this one.
    Farah, who fled Syria, loves soccer. Her dad tries to make soccer balls for her using anything he can find, but they don't last long. Every night, he puts Farah and her big sister Tisam, 9, to bed hoping that tomorrow will bring them a proper soccer ball to play with. All other dreams seem to be beyond his reach, but he is not giving up on this one. © Magnus Wennman
  • Farah, who fled Syria, loves soccer. Her dad tries to make soccer balls for her using anything he can find, but they don't last long. Every night, he puts Farah and her big sister Tisam, 9, to bed hoping that tomorrow will bring them a proper soccer ball to play with. All other dreams seem to be beyond his reach, but he is not giving up on this one.
    Farah, who fled Syria, loves soccer. Her dad tries to make soccer balls for her using anything he can find, but they don't last long. Every night, he puts Farah and her big sister Tisam, 9, to bed hoping that tomorrow will bring them a proper soccer ball to play with. All other dreams seem to be beyond his reach, but he is not giving up on this one. © Magnus Wennman
  • Farah, who fled Syria, loves soccer. Her dad tries to make soccer balls for her using anything he can find, but they don't last long. Every night, he puts Farah and her big sister Tisam, 9, to bed hoping that tomorrow will bring them a proper soccer ball to play with. All other dreams seem to be beyond his reach, but he is not giving up on this one.
    Farah, who fled Syria, loves soccer. Her dad tries to make soccer balls for her using anything he can find, but they don't last long. Every night, he puts Farah and her big sister Tisam, 9, to bed hoping that tomorrow will bring them a proper soccer ball to play with. All other dreams seem to be beyond his reach, but he is not giving up on this one. © Magnus Wennman
  • Farah, who fled Syria, loves soccer. Her dad tries to make soccer balls for her using anything he can find, but they don't last long. Every night, he puts Farah and her big sister Tisam, 9, to bed hoping that tomorrow will bring them a proper soccer ball to play with. All other dreams seem to be beyond his reach, but he is not giving up on this one.
    Farah, who fled Syria, loves soccer. Her dad tries to make soccer balls for her using anything he can find, but they don't last long. Every night, he puts Farah and her big sister Tisam, 9, to bed hoping that tomorrow will bring them a proper soccer ball to play with. All other dreams seem to be beyond his reach, but he is not giving up on this one. © Magnus Wennman
  • Farah, who fled Syria, loves soccer. Her dad tries to make soccer balls for her using anything he can find, but they don't last long. Every night, he puts Farah and her big sister Tisam, 9, to bed hoping that tomorrow will bring them a proper soccer ball to play with. All other dreams seem to be beyond his reach, but he is not giving up on this one.
    Farah, who fled Syria, loves soccer. Her dad tries to make soccer balls for her using anything he can find, but they don't last long. Every night, he puts Farah and her big sister Tisam, 9, to bed hoping that tomorrow will bring them a proper soccer ball to play with. All other dreams seem to be beyond his reach, but he is not giving up on this one. © Magnus Wennman
  • Farah, who fled Syria, loves soccer. Her dad tries to make soccer balls for her using anything he can find, but they don't last long. Every night, he puts Farah and her big sister Tisam, 9, to bed hoping that tomorrow will bring them a proper soccer ball to play with. All other dreams seem to be beyond his reach, but he is not giving up on this one.
    Farah, who fled Syria, loves soccer. Her dad tries to make soccer balls for her using anything he can find, but they don't last long. Every night, he puts Farah and her big sister Tisam, 9, to bed hoping that tomorrow will bring them a proper soccer ball to play with. All other dreams seem to be beyond his reach, but he is not giving up on this one. © Magnus Wennman
  • Farah, who fled Syria, loves soccer. Her dad tries to make soccer balls for her using anything he can find, but they don't last long. Every night, he puts Farah and her big sister Tisam, 9, to bed hoping that tomorrow will bring them a proper soccer ball to play with. All other dreams seem to be beyond his reach, but he is not giving up on this one.
    Farah, who fled Syria, loves soccer. Her dad tries to make soccer balls for her using anything he can find, but they don't last long. Every night, he puts Farah and her big sister Tisam, 9, to bed hoping that tomorrow will bring them a proper soccer ball to play with. All other dreams seem to be beyond his reach, but he is not giving up on this one. © Magnus Wennman
  • Farah, who fled Syria, loves soccer. Her dad tries to make soccer balls for her using anything he can find, but they don't last long. Every night, he puts Farah and her big sister Tisam, 9, to bed hoping that tomorrow will bring them a proper soccer ball to play with. All other dreams seem to be beyond his reach, but he is not giving up on this one.
    Farah, who fled Syria, loves soccer. Her dad tries to make soccer balls for her using anything he can find, but they don't last long. Every night, he puts Farah and her big sister Tisam, 9, to bed hoping that tomorrow will bring them a proper soccer ball to play with. All other dreams seem to be beyond his reach, but he is not giving up on this one. © Magnus Wennman
  • Farah, who fled Syria, loves soccer. Her dad tries to make soccer balls for her using anything he can find, but they don't last long. Every night, he puts Farah and her big sister Tisam, 9, to bed hoping that tomorrow will bring them a proper soccer ball to play with. All other dreams seem to be beyond his reach, but he is not giving up on this one.
    Farah, who fled Syria, loves soccer. Her dad tries to make soccer balls for her using anything he can find, but they don't last long. Every night, he puts Farah and her big sister Tisam, 9, to bed hoping that tomorrow will bring them a proper soccer ball to play with. All other dreams seem to be beyond his reach, but he is not giving up on this one. © Magnus Wennman
  • Farah, who fled Syria, loves soccer. Her dad tries to make soccer balls for her using anything he can find, but they don't last long. Every night, he puts Farah and her big sister Tisam, 9, to bed hoping that tomorrow will bring them a proper soccer ball to play with. All other dreams seem to be beyond his reach, but he is not giving up on this one.
    Farah, who fled Syria, loves soccer. Her dad tries to make soccer balls for her using anything he can find, but they don't last long. Every night, he puts Farah and her big sister Tisam, 9, to bed hoping that tomorrow will bring them a proper soccer ball to play with. All other dreams seem to be beyond his reach, but he is not giving up on this one. © Magnus Wennman
  • Farah, who fled Syria, loves soccer. Her dad tries to make soccer balls for her using anything he can find, but they don't last long. Every night, he puts Farah and her big sister Tisam, 9, to bed hoping that tomorrow will bring them a proper soccer ball to play with. All other dreams seem to be beyond his reach, but he is not giving up on this one.
    Farah, who fled Syria, loves soccer. Her dad tries to make soccer balls for her using anything he can find, but they don't last long. Every night, he puts Farah and her big sister Tisam, 9, to bed hoping that tomorrow will bring them a proper soccer ball to play with. All other dreams seem to be beyond his reach, but he is not giving up on this one. © Magnus Wennman
  • Farah, who fled Syria, loves soccer. Her dad tries to make soccer balls for her using anything he can find, but they don't last long. Every night, he puts Farah and her big sister Tisam, 9, to bed hoping that tomorrow will bring them a proper soccer ball to play with. All other dreams seem to be beyond his reach, but he is not giving up on this one.
    Farah, who fled Syria, loves soccer. Her dad tries to make soccer balls for her using anything he can find, but they don't last long. Every night, he puts Farah and her big sister Tisam, 9, to bed hoping that tomorrow will bring them a proper soccer ball to play with. All other dreams seem to be beyond his reach, but he is not giving up on this one. © Magnus Wennman
  • Farah, who fled Syria, loves soccer. Her dad tries to make soccer balls for her using anything he can find, but they don't last long. Every night, he puts Farah and her big sister Tisam, 9, to bed hoping that tomorrow will bring them a proper soccer ball to play with. All other dreams seem to be beyond his reach, but he is not giving up on this one.
    Farah, who fled Syria, loves soccer. Her dad tries to make soccer balls for her using anything he can find, but they don't last long. Every night, he puts Farah and her big sister Tisam, 9, to bed hoping that tomorrow will bring them a proper soccer ball to play with. All other dreams seem to be beyond his reach, but he is not giving up on this one. © Magnus Wennman
  • Farah, who fled Syria, loves soccer. Her dad tries to make soccer balls for her using anything he can find, but they don't last long. Every night, he puts Farah and her big sister Tisam, 9, to bed hoping that tomorrow will bring them a proper soccer ball to play with. All other dreams seem to be beyond his reach, but he is not giving up on this one.
    Farah, who fled Syria, loves soccer. Her dad tries to make soccer balls for her using anything he can find, but they don't last long. Every night, he puts Farah and her big sister Tisam, 9, to bed hoping that tomorrow will bring them a proper soccer ball to play with. All other dreams seem to be beyond his reach, but he is not giving up on this one. © Magnus Wennman
  • Farah, who fled Syria, loves soccer. Her dad tries to make soccer balls for her using anything he can find, but they don't last long. Every night, he puts Farah and her big sister Tisam, 9, to bed hoping that tomorrow will bring them a proper soccer ball to play with. All other dreams seem to be beyond his reach, but he is not giving up on this one.
    Farah, who fled Syria, loves soccer. Her dad tries to make soccer balls for her using anything he can find, but they don't last long. Every night, he puts Farah and her big sister Tisam, 9, to bed hoping that tomorrow will bring them a proper soccer ball to play with. All other dreams seem to be beyond his reach, but he is not giving up on this one. © Magnus Wennman
  • Farah, who fled Syria, loves soccer. Her dad tries to make soccer balls for her using anything he can find, but they don't last long. Every night, he puts Farah and her big sister Tisam, 9, to bed hoping that tomorrow will bring them a proper soccer ball to play with. All other dreams seem to be beyond his reach, but he is not giving up on this one.
    Farah, who fled Syria, loves soccer. Her dad tries to make soccer balls for her using anything he can find, but they don't last long. Every night, he puts Farah and her big sister Tisam, 9, to bed hoping that tomorrow will bring them a proper soccer ball to play with. All other dreams seem to be beyond his reach, but he is not giving up on this one. © Magnus Wennman
  • Farah, who fled Syria, loves soccer. Her dad tries to make soccer balls for her using anything he can find, but they don't last long. Every night, he puts Farah and her big sister Tisam, 9, to bed hoping that tomorrow will bring them a proper soccer ball to play with. All other dreams seem to be beyond his reach, but he is not giving up on this one.
    Farah, who fled Syria, loves soccer. Her dad tries to make soccer balls for her using anything he can find, but they don't last long. Every night, he puts Farah and her big sister Tisam, 9, to bed hoping that tomorrow will bring them a proper soccer ball to play with. All other dreams seem to be beyond his reach, but he is not giving up on this one. © Magnus Wennman
  • Farah, who fled Syria, loves soccer. Her dad tries to make soccer balls for her using anything he can find, but they don't last long. Every night, he puts Farah and her big sister Tisam, 9, to bed hoping that tomorrow will bring them a proper soccer ball to play with. All other dreams seem to be beyond his reach, but he is not giving up on this one.
    Farah, who fled Syria, loves soccer. Her dad tries to make soccer balls for her using anything he can find, but they don't last long. Every night, he puts Farah and her big sister Tisam, 9, to bed hoping that tomorrow will bring them a proper soccer ball to play with. All other dreams seem to be beyond his reach, but he is not giving up on this one. © Magnus Wennman
  • Farah, who fled Syria, loves soccer. Her dad tries to make soccer balls for her using anything he can find, but they don't last long. Every night, he puts Farah and her big sister Tisam, 9, to bed hoping that tomorrow will bring them a proper soccer ball to play with. All other dreams seem to be beyond his reach, but he is not giving up on this one.
    Farah, who fled Syria, loves soccer. Her dad tries to make soccer balls for her using anything he can find, but they don't last long. Every night, he puts Farah and her big sister Tisam, 9, to bed hoping that tomorrow will bring them a proper soccer ball to play with. All other dreams seem to be beyond his reach, but he is not giving up on this one. © Magnus Wennman
  • Farah, who fled Syria, loves soccer. Her dad tries to make soccer balls for her using anything he can find, but they don't last long. Every night, he puts Farah and her big sister Tisam, 9, to bed hoping that tomorrow will bring them a proper soccer ball to play with. All other dreams seem to be beyond his reach, but he is not giving up on this one.
    Farah, who fled Syria, loves soccer. Her dad tries to make soccer balls for her using anything he can find, but they don't last long. Every night, he puts Farah and her big sister Tisam, 9, to bed hoping that tomorrow will bring them a proper soccer ball to play with. All other dreams seem to be beyond his reach, but he is not giving up on this one. © Magnus Wennman
  • Farah, who fled Syria, loves soccer. Her dad tries to make soccer balls for her using anything he can find, but they don't last long. Every night, he puts Farah and her big sister Tisam, 9, to bed hoping that tomorrow will bring them a proper soccer ball to play with. All other dreams seem to be beyond his reach, but he is not giving up on this one.
    Farah, who fled Syria, loves soccer. Her dad tries to make soccer balls for her using anything he can find, but they don't last long. Every night, he puts Farah and her big sister Tisam, 9, to bed hoping that tomorrow will bring them a proper soccer ball to play with. All other dreams seem to be beyond his reach, but he is not giving up on this one. © Magnus Wennman

Learn more about the exhibition:

  

• Behind the scenes of "Where the Children Sleep"

 • UNHCR Exhibition Press Release

 

United States exhibit presented by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency

In close collaboration with:

Fotografiska - the Swedish Museum of Photography 

Exhibit print production by: 

McCall Photographics

 

Follow photographer @MagnusWennman on Instagram

 

For more information on the exhibit, please contact:
Lilli Tnaib
Public Information Unit
UNHCR Washington
[email protected]

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