Fw: [hr-education] Refugee game offers fear, flight and safety – one click at a time

Wed Nov 14 14:36:21 CST 2007

    Dear Marcin,    

    Olena Zima returned from GA. And she told us about her conversation with you and Noel about some new ideas for our organization.    

    She also said that you will call me about this. I am waiting for your call up to the end of this week because on Sunday I have a flight to Kazahstan (to Dariush seminar).    

Best wishes,    

    Olena    

--- Исходное сообщение ---  
От кого: mzaleski at idebate.org  
Кому: debate-l at list.idebate.org, programdevelop-l at list.idebate.org  
Дата: 8 ноября, 13:55:47  
Тема: Fw: [hr-education] Refugee game offers fear, flight and safety – one click at a time  

  It is an interesting game! For details see below.  
Marcin  

Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device  

-----Original Message-----  
From: Kelsey Kofford <hr-education at lists.hrea.org>  

Date: Thu, 8 Nov 2007 11:52:06  
To:mzaleski at idebate.org  
Subject: [hr-education] Refugee game offers fear, flight and safety – one click at a time  

UNHCR News Story  

WASHINGTON, United States, November 7 (UNHCR) -– An online game aimed at turning schoolchildren into persecuted refugees – at least for a time – made its debut in English on Wednesday with its first player in the United States declaring it, "a great game."  

After finding his way to safety in UNHCR (UN High Commissioner for Refugees)'s refugee experience game Against All Odds, 12-year-old Afshin Fadakar from Maryland called the experience "a great way to inform people about refugees."  
Over the years there have been many educational tools created for raising awareness about refugees, but few have offered the chance to experience what it is like to be a refugee. In Against All Odds, the player is interrogated, hears the sound of guards' footsteps approaching, and senses the urgency in finding safety while racing against the clock.  
Against All Odds is an online game created to increase students' awareness and knowledge about refugee situations by putting players in the position of a refugee. The game and its resources, originally launched in Swedish, are now available in English, adding to a list of languages that includes German, Greek, and Norwegian.  

Making the game accessible to students from different countries who speak different languages allows a greater number of individuals to play and learn from the unique gaming experience.  

"For most kids who don't know much about refugees, this game is really helpful," Afshin said. "It's great for teaching kids, especially the 'Web Facts' section. If they get confused or lose in the game, they can learn more in the web facts."  
In Against All Odds intolerance is one of many obstacles a player is forced to overcome, others include interrogation, flight and language barriers. Divided into three categories – "War and Conflict," "Borderland" and "A New Life" – Against All Odds takes players on a journey towards asylum, but also touches on issues of understanding and intuition in different environments.  

Players will be challenged by a variety of obstacles and scenarios simulating struggles that refugees are forced to deal with every day, from sneaking out of town to dealing with prejudices in a new place.  

"In the United States and other developed countries it can be difficult for people to understand the challenges refugees face. By getting Against All Odds into classrooms across the US, we hope to open the door, at least a little, towards a better understanding," said Tim Irwin, UNHCR's senior public information officer in Washington.  
The game itself is complex, challenging and, at times, confusing, much like real life refugee experiences.  

Along the way, players can learn more in the web facts section, where they can read stories and watch films about individual refugees. In addition to providing moving first-hand accounts, the web facts section offers a variety of other important refugee information articles and resources.  

Against All Odds also has a "teacher information" page. This section provides various lesson plans, learning activities, and other interesting educational resources that can be of use both inside and outside the classroom.  

In the US, a link to the game will be available on the website (www.unrefugees.org) as part of the agency's "Teachers' Corner" education programme, which reaches thousands of elementary, middle and high school teachers across the country.  

Play the game in English, German, Greek, Norwegian and Swedish:  
http://www.playagainstallodds.com/    

By Kelsey Kofford  
Washington DC, United States  

======== Global Human Rights Education listserv =======  
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UNHCR News Story  

WASHINGTON, United States, November 7  

(UNHCR) -– An online game aimed at turning schoolchildren into  

persecuted refugees – at least for a time – made its debut in  

English on Wednesday with its first player in the United States declaring  

it, "a great game."  

After finding his way to safety  

in UNHCR (UN High Commissioner for Refugees)'s refugee experience game  

Against All Odds, 12-year-old Afshin Fadakar from Maryland called the  

experience "a great way to inform people about refugees."  

/>  
Over the years there have been many educational tools created for  

raising awareness about refugees, but few have offered the chance to  

experience what it is like to be a refugee. In Against All Odds, the player  

is interrogated, hears the sound of guards' footsteps approaching, and  

senses the urgency in finding safety while racing against the clock.  

/>  
Against All Odds is an online game created to increase students'  

awareness and knowledge about refugee situations by putting players in the  

position of a refugee. The game and its resources, originally launched in  

Swedish, are now available in English, adding to a list of languages that  

includes German, Greek, and Norwegian.  

Making the game  

accessible to students from different countries who speak different  

languages allows a greater number of individuals to play and learn from the  

unique gaming experience.  

"For most kids who don't know  

much about refugees, this game is really helpful," Afshin said.  

"It's great for teaching kids, especially the 'Web Facts' section. If  

they get confused or lose in the game, they can learn more in the web  

facts."  

In Against All Odds intolerance is one of many obstacles a player is  

forced to overcome, others include interrogation, flight and language  

barriers. Divided into three categories – "War and  

Conflict," "Borderland" and "A New Life" –  

Against All Odds takes players on a journey towards asylum, but also  

touches on issues of understanding and intuition in different environments.  

Players will be challenged by a variety of obstacles and  

scenarios simulating struggles that refugees are forced to deal with every  

day, from sneaking out of town to dealing with prejudices in a new place.  

"In the United States and other developed countries it can  

be difficult for people to understand the challenges refugees face. By  

getting Against All Odds into classrooms across the US, we hope to open the  

door, at least a little, towards a better understanding," said Tim  

Irwin, UNHCR's senior public information officer in Washington.  

/>The game itself is complex, challenging and, at times, confusing, much  

like real life refugee experiences.  

Along the way, players can  

learn more in the web facts section, where they can read stories and watch  

films about individual refugees. In addition to providing moving first-hand  

accounts, the web facts section offers a variety of other important refugee  

information articles and resources.  

Against All Odds also has a  

"teacher information" page. This section provides various lesson  

plans, learning activities, and other interesting educational resources  

that can be of use both inside and outside the classroom.  

In  

the US, a link to the game will be available on the website  

(www.unrefugees.org) as part of the agency's "Teachers' Corner"  

education programme, which reaches thousands of elementary, middle and high  

school teachers across the country.  

Play the game in English,  

German, Greek, Norwegian and Swedish:  

href="http://www.playagainstallodds.com/"  

target="_blank">http://www.playagainstallodds.com/    

/>  
By Kelsey Kofford  
Washington DC, United States  

/>  

  ======== Global Human  

Rights Education listserv =======  

Send mail intended for the list to     
href="mailto:hr-education at lists.hrea.org">hr-education at lists.hrea.org.  

Archives of the list can be found at:     
href="http://www.hrea.org/lists/hr-education/">http://www.hrea.org/lists/hr-education/  

/>  

**You are welcome to reprint, copy, archive, quote or re-post this item,  

but please retain the original and listserv source.  

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