beyond the desert the 1st part of our series slavery road. the spot. on the show that of us as we are. almost inseparable. what's a big what's able. to believe what. i mean also. and witness to world events that's all. it was the hardest decision my life because i didn't want to hold. on banking to germany and was like a child. and half blind. me.

really for artists who have fled political persecution in their own countries. and settled in berlin. what drove them to leave. what challenges do they faced in their new home. what attracted them to the german capital. people in berlin are demonstrating for a free bellow roosts. theatre director at smith so charge who is one of the cold organizers of the protest. he's glad that he can express his opinions freely in germany. he can send

a signal from abroad. in the berlin is not indifferent to what is happening in the marines to the situation in our homeland and citizens are doing we're simply saying. we're helping you are supporting you and in their. mass protests have been taking place in belo roost for months with the demonstrators calling for an end to the country's authoritarian regime police have clamped down on them heavily. even if they are no longer there it's a charge cohen other bella rusian is in berlin feel part of the wider protest. force our hand we don't want that we just knew things aren't right to. charge cool left dello russo over 10 years ago. he had always opposed to the regime

and had organized protests and hunger strikes. as a result he was arrested locked up for days at a time without charge. i will say that if i had stayed i would become a professional revolutionary. i was allowed to study i would never have got a good job of education. in jail because i too. because of my years so i had to make up my mind and leave i wanted to do what i love art. thanks to a grant he was able to go to poland where he acted and directed plays both in the all theater scene and in state theaters. including a production of the idiot. though he still works in poland. he prefers to live in berlin. he says he loves the alternative

district of cortes back because people here are free to think and do as they please . they discovered a new kind of protest across back their constant process encroaching on but it was important for me to see the different forms and how they were organized. transferring this knowledge which of the russian features. belongs to protest. he's currently working on an exhibition about civil society and bella ruse. he says that he was politicized as a young man by an encounter with some german punks who were visiting bella ruth. and listen to the sex pistols were basically wyo sukhumi. and they talked about freedom and civil rights and i was trying to bring you through. we were. kids in

the city and all of a sudden we discovered another culture. and showed me that there was another world out there is over for you. totally different from the 100 new york. there was a kind of break stopping society from developing. we were constantly told what to do the and what not to do. and we had to follow. her apparatus. the relationship between the state and the individual today is something he often examines in his work. on the piece projection paranoia shrine integrates text written by the r.a.f. terrorist recombine hoff who explored how far political resistance could go.

to hopes that his work will resonate in bella ruse to see myself as a bridge between berlin in minsk in case something happens there i preach between berlin the bellows. but then i'd like to find the need between institutional state and the underground. to stay there. on the ground. right now berlin has more such. so for the time being. we'll be staying put. now to where we meet the vice president of penn center in germany it's one of some 150 centers supported by writers' association pending international. attention to authors who have been persecuted for exercising their right to freedom of expression its german center helps them find refuge in germany worldwide many

writers still live dangerously their countries which are always at the bottom of the list. in terms of freedom of expression and every tree. from for 10 years in the last 3 or 4 years turkey has gotten much worse and remains level. each year and international. documents cases in which writers have been imprisoned or subjected to other restrictions you know. but there are also many cases we knew nothing about for example in china. even amnesty international how many death sentences are executed there are only very rarely does work. sometimes when joe ching feels lonely he goes for a stroll being out nature calms him helps him clear his mind and focus. to

germany. he's lived in berlin for the past 8. nature. but i don't feel it's woman one particular place. i have no special connection to a certain place on earth i've lived in mostly in the u.s. with opening beaching. here in germany with a woman i live here and there i think that stems from my time in jail since then i have this sense of restlessness. under. through thought of the gun in 1989 protests erupted at beijing's tiananmen square and elsewhere in china tens of thousands of young chinese demanded greater freedom. but the pro-democracy movement was brutally suppressed. judging helped organize demonstrations in his hometown she on for this he was sentenced to 2 and a half years behind bars and forced to spend the 1st 2 months in solitary

confinement locked up in a dark underground cell. the only freedom year after $51.00 days. he had to carry me out it will. be covered my eyes will. at 1st i didn't know why would i spend all this time in total darkness. i would have probably gone blind in. a harrowing experience but judging has remained undeterred once a widely respected nonfiction author and publisher in china he's kept writing books in exile he's a very gracious reader to you. as an enthusiastic cook the passion he discovered as the single parent for him eating is about companionship and looking after one's health but cooking also brings up grim

memories from time behind bars there was a certain jail i looked after more than 30 people on death row who don't leave a few days or weeks left to live. they were strapped to their beds arms and legs spread to their sides. what a crucifixion. with you there is a hole in their bed to difficult. after relieving themselves are. clean if you will i also said. in their final moments. it was all that mattered. judging process to the experience in a book it tells the story of 15 different prisoners on death row and includes recipes for the last meal they ate before they were executed. a leading german literary magazine has published an excerpt of the book his translator and good friend susanna becker will translate the book into german joe ching regularly covers highly sensitive topics that few in china would dare discuss for research

purposes he sometimes returns to his homeland though he's careful to stay off the radar as susanna becker describes that but unlike his artist friend i way way joe ching resists the label dissident. i am an author and witness to world events that saw. a courageous one for sure joe ching carried out extensive research in china for his documentary film i don't quite recall which addresses a dark chapter of chinese history. revolution. the film revolves around the lynching of 2 teachers at the hands of their students it features interviews with people who may have witnessed the killings. the action that she would take. to. the.

recent events in paris show how timely my documentary is. as a teacher was killed off sparking global outreach. by film talks about how to train these teachers were beaten to death. but to this day nobody knows who is responsible or. talks about this event. judging $2400.00 vesta gave book about china's food industry became an international bestseller exposed to ruthless stops at nothing to maximize its profits including adding dangerous chemicals to build products it was translated into several languages. 15 years ago i started telling people that chinese food is unsafe and chinese food production methods can cause epidemics like sars. but nobody took this seriously.

so i think european politicians and food manufacturers are harming themselves when they import chinese products. joe ching is currently working on a new documentary films about china he's been barred from entering the country. but that won't deter him he's not easily intimidated. what's germany's role when it comes to offering protection to people threaten persecuted and i think. germany please an important role. then germany's voice is very significant within the context of penn international for one. of the other writers in exile program that was created by the minister of culture in 2000. it was to pay off a debt of gratitude for writers who had to flee germany in $133.00 found refuge

abroad or. now we can persecuted writers and from all over the world to the workers . even if we don't even fight off. when the nazis came to power in 1933 a whole generation of writers was silenced their works were banned and burned their lives were threatened many fled others were killed today german cities such as where the nazis held their rallies taken exiles from all over. the surface of course it's just a trick of the ocean. there are many writers who need our help and. that's why many make their own way if they can and their place of refuge is often berlin. it's a bit of home away from home for a syrian in exile at the pergamon museum in the historic center of berlin.

tours for refugees she explains the history of the exhibits and how they can transport people back in time. just. close your eyes try to smell. and you will feel home and there is always like a very nice trips we go through closing thighs and think about our memories our heritage many visitors return time and again the exhibits provide comfort and stability coming here also helps combat her homesickness after she was forced to flee syria 6 years ago. i used to say it's my museum. and i am one of the very rare people who used to go to the museum almost. studied art in damascus and wrote for a children's magazine she's also

a successful children's book author. she suffered under bashar al assad's regime until 2011 when the anti-government protests known as the arabs. again. it's a hope. that time to change. the situation we leave we leave with very long time. joined in the demonstrations and fought for change but the protests were brutally suppressed. repeatedly arrested and eventually fled her homeland this was the hardest. because i didn't want. her hopes for a new syria dashed. to leave all her friends and fellow protesters behind. she hasn't heard a word from many of them since. they arrested or abducted. are

they even still alive. her art works to picture this sense of loss. but mostly. because. they are here. now she's found her mission 2015 not long after her arrival germany took in almost a 1000000 refugees we can do this chancellor angela merkel famously said in encouragement so. down to work. i always find myself somewhere in-between. trying to bring them together she also writes for the platform handles germany which gets refugees practical info on how to adapt to life here. also believes that hosting

society should know more about newcomers about 3 fishies most of them have to integrate with. to help make that happen ali db writes a column for a german newspaper. she highlights cultural similarities and differences between hosts and newcomers. and tries to combat the prejudices she encounters in her daily life. from syria and he said oh my god are you are really feels she said years. unfortunately and there's this but you don't look like. so for me this is very important things think to think about legs through types that media spirit. and talk to people there's still much to be done to

dispel such stereotypes and to encourage interaction between cultures which actually aren't that different. says that her hometown damascus and berlin have much in common. it's very similar from different perspectives because it's very. it's very open and accept everyone from everywhere. where are you from what you're doing how you know how you do it what kind of you will find your space. has certainly found her space helping to bring together different people and cultures. exiles have a hard time. reaching from their culture and they usually have a difficult time communicating in the new language. this applies to exiles

today and to those of former times like those who fled nazi germany in the 1930 s. now there are plans to build a museum dedicated to these refugees where berlin's on a halter railway station once stood. on the exit. to open its doors in 2025 the modern building will curve around the station's ruins . literature nobel prize winner. who fled from romania dictator nicol. regime to germany in 1907 is the museum's patron. berlin is coming to terms with its past but what about the more recent history and the fact that many people from all over the world are moving here entirely or to flee. from danger. germany has experienced many different waves of immigration

unfortunately there's new museum dedicated to this topic and that would be very interesting from a political perspective. a museum that tells the story of germany as a country of immigrants because they are an integral part of its history. when sharbat in shaky came to germany 10 years ago he had to leave everything behind. in iran he was an acclaimed writer an intellectual who actively participated in social debate. being forced into exile his identity. is high had most everything a person could want to have that stature was a journalist and the best news. unlike should at the best university incident. on them that i come to germany and i was like a child. and done and half blind from. the.

shaky belongs to iran's kurdish minority he learned his mother tongue kurdish from his father he describes it as the language of his soul and his innermost thoughts in his youth about in shaky frequented literary clubs and wrote lyric poetry that was naturalistic and realistic. kurdish literature was for bisan you know it was illegal like drugs or something. but i think i was always self-confident. i just went in and read my poems and the folks there were surprised . 1617 year old boy we did he learn to speak kurdish. shaky quickly made a name for himself as a modern poet who courted controversy his writing advocate. equality of the sexes and human rights and he was a vocal activist in 2009 he took part in iran's green movement when young people

rose up against the regime that put his life in danger we have come i don't fear spending 20 years in jail i don't fear torture or even the death penalty. but i do fear the indeterminacy the lack of clarity if you're arrested by the secret police or whoever and there's no guarantee you'll be released in 2 or 3 hours after 3 days or 7 the after 7 months or 7 years ago. he was arrested but managed to escape he never wanted to leave his country in the lurch was now forced to flee an invitation from the german government including an exit visa and a plane ticket brought him to safety yet the fear is from that time still haunts him. have never rented an apartment that was above the 3rd floor because i always

thought if they come for me i must flee no matter what happens to me. whenever i went to look. i still have it was happens. it took a long time before she could feel he was on firm ground again. with his past embarked on the search for a new life new identity and words most important tools he wants to communicate. what language. 70 percent of the people are germans or german speakers the streets are my streets these walls are my walls this cafe is my candy. these are my neighbors they're german. makes it exciting but hard to write.

but for now he's preoccupied with bringing some peace into his life having a secure job and residency status. shakey is employed as a social education worker in a home for asylum seekers in his new home berlin. this start berlin is a city of my soon. berlin has a soul that's completely crazy and here in the little britain since me cos its soul is like my release interview that's my feeling and early in this nationality lives are not your nationality unless it's also how shabab in shaky feels it's impossible for him to return to iran he hasn't seen his homeland in a decade. so where does he belong now in berlin. pleasure that's occurred maybe i should see him kurdistan will forever be my homeland and his dog but i was born there and i'm

a kurd but there person i am known for him and this here this is my home. that's it from art's 21 this week stay safe until next time goodbye and i'll feed as they.

are. they were mutating into a nameless mass. their bodies are mere tools in the history of the slave trade is africa's history above describes how the green for power and profits plummeted an entire continent into chaos and violence. beyond the desert the 1st part of

our series of slavery routes. in 15 years on t.w. . you can buy fashion but not style so we're taking you on a fashion to around the country to. meet the people who as an art form. see from traditional patterns i'm still a cool mug and signed on to that and beauty pageant little twist the 77 percent. 90 minutes on d w. what secrets lie behind those walls. discover new adventures in 360 degree.

and explore fascinating world heritage sites. w world heritage 360 getting up now. the fight against the corona virus pandemic. how has the rate of infection been developing. what measures are being taken. what does the latest research say. information and context. the coronavirus of the code of special monday to friday. by 2050 more than half the world will be leaving. says we haven't had to think about our war or worry about. i think that era is over this is the crisis of our time it's a financial problem like any other financial the world is changing to the most

important commodity. called the free for most of her mississippi or commodity stores march 22nd on. this is news live from berlin london police are under fire after clashes at a vigil for the murdered english woman sarah ever. there have been calls to investigate the officers response after politicians describe it as an acceptable deeply disturbing tensions run high at the memorial to men being held for the woman's murder is himself a member of the police force also coming up. voters in 2 german states go to the

polls in the 1st test of the national mood ahead of this year's general election chancellor and.