Prince William, 39, paid a visit to the city
to celebrate the welcoming, diverse, resilient communities across the region
who are coming together to support those in need. At a hotel, the
father-of-three spoke with refugees recently evacuated from Afghanistan, as
they rebuilt their lives in the UK.
William heard from Haroom Shahab, 33, who
worked as a firefighter at Kabul airport, who was with his wife, Zehra Akbarti,
28. He told the Duke how he and his family had to wait for 28 hours at the
airport to move just 200 metres in order to get on a plane to the UK.
Mr
Shahab said: “They were
running, they were desperate, in front of the oncoming aircraft. That was very
hard for us. We were trying to get out of the country because our
lives have been torn to shreds. When we got to the UK we finally knew we would
be safe. The Taliban are killing people without compassion, policemen and their
families just gunned down. Anyone with a link to British or NATO forces or
government.”
Mr
Shahab added: “We are now
starting to make a life here for us. The people love us, they have been so kind
to us. They are supporting us with food, clothing, education. We
are very happy here, I am hoping that I may be able to get my old job back as a
firefighter. But I am worried for my colleagues left behind. They are being
killed and their families hunted down.”
In response,
Prince William said: “The
most important thing is that you are safe now. You have a bright future. You
couldn’t be more welcome. Thank you for all you have done for us.”
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| The Duke heard about the vital work of the community in Yorkshire |
The Duke heard about the different roles
played by the local authority, the hotel, community organizations and charities
and saw first-hand how these groups work together to provide for the various
needs of Afghan refugees.
From simple donations of toiletries or
unneeded clothes, through to more organized provisions of material or other
support, individuals and communities across Yorkshire have come together to
welcome those in desperate need of support as they fled Afghanistan. While
local authorities and larger charities, such as the Refugee Council, have organized
housing, advice on how to integrate and settle into life in the UK, and mental
health and childcare support for those that need it.
