Today, I am a Mayor. Nine years ago, I faced a fight for survival. In 2015, like many Syrians, I had a dilemma: military service for a warring party or an uncertain fate elsewhere. I chose the latter. Home, family, friends, studies, and my future were suddenly gone. For the first time, I lost the protection of my family. I felt alone but realized I had to take responsibility for myself and those around me. This marked a turning point and a new era for me. After weeks of escape, moving from one emergency shelter to another, I ended up in southern Germany.
Two weeks before Christmas 2015, I moved from the central refugee reception center in Karlsruhe to Calw in the Northern Black Forest. We lived in a container-like building, sharing a 20 sqm room with four others and sanitary facilities with ten. The biggest challenge was not speaking German. In 2016, I quickly got into an integration course, earning a B1 certificate in German by year-end. By Christmas 2016, I began an internship in Althengstett, leading to an apprenticeship as an administrative assistant in 2017.
In summer 2020, I completed my apprenticeship in the top 5% of my class in Baden-Württemberg. I applied for Mayor of Ostelsheim in January 2023 and was elected, becoming the first refugee to hold such an office in Europe.
My goal as Mayor is to achieve a climate-neutral community and a healthy social climate. Many young people see hope in my story, proving that it doesn't matter where you come from, but where you want to go.