Kosovar refugee urges Nova Scotians to accept Syrians

Elbonita Kozhani wants Nova Scotians to treat Syrian refugees with the same warmth she received as a eight-year-old arriving in Halifax after fleeing Kosovo.

Now 24-years-old, Kozhani says it has been disheartening to witness a backlash toward refugees, especially those who are Muslim like her.

That resistance includes comments she's heard from some friends and colleagues at the nursing home where she works unhappy with Canada accepting 25,000 refugees from Syria in the coming months.

"Right now the light happens to be on the Islam religion, and it's not a good light," Kozhani told CBC Radio's Information Morning.

She recently posted a message on Facebook in response, which has been shared more than 24,000 times. 

She wants Canadians to put themselves in the shoes of a scared, hungry mother living in a war-torn country.

"To know what it's like to walk in this field of houses burning," she said. "To not know what it's like to know when you're going to feed your children next, whether you're going to have a sweater to put over them because they're freezing. 

"Having to bathe your child in the middle of a field because that's the only place that you can. You know just try for a moment to put yourself in their position."

'Have to believe that they're good people'

Her message to Canadians is to accept everyone, and to assume the best. 

"I have no idea who these people are or what they're capable of, but we as a society have to believe that they're good people," she said.

"If there is potential for bad, well we just have to pray and hope they are good people with good intentions who just really, really want to be safe."

As a child who arrived in Halifax not speaking english, Kozhani also has a message for the new refugees.

"It's scary, but Canadians are open and welcoming. Give it time. It will get easier."

Kozhani remembers the day she arrived in Halifax 16 years ago. Her family fled Kosovo for a better life in Canada.

"We got off the plane and I remember the door opening and there was about 50 people all in a lineup and just waiting for us to come down and greet us, to hug us, to welcome us," said Kozhani.

"I look at myself in the mirror and I say I am who I am, every bit is because of Canada."