Invitation
World Refugee Day 2026

Friday 19 June

3:30 PM: Walk-in
4:00 PM: Start programme:

• Musical opening by Syrian Dutch composer Nawras Altaky 
• Welcome by UNHCR high profile supporter Jouman Fattal 
• Opening keynote by UNHCR Representative  
• Film screening Allies in Exile 
• Q&A with film maker Hasan Kattan, moderated by Dutch journalist Nadia Moussaid

6:00 PM: Drinks and bites, offering time to connect and continue the conversation

For 14 years, Syrian filmmakers Hasan Kattan and Fadi Al-Halabi have journeyed together through war and storytelling. Their bond was forged on the frontlines of revolution where their cameras recorded terror and hope, laughter and heartbreak – moments that defined a generation.

Years later, their story takes an unexpected turn. Confined inside a UK asylum hotel, Hasan and Fadi document a new chapter shaped not by bombs, but by waiting, bureaucracy, and exile. Amid rising anti-refugee hostility, they turn the camera inward exploring friendship and displacement and how filming itself becomes an act of survival when the future is so uncertain. 

“The horror of war in Syria and the subsequent ordeal of boredom in a refugee hotel in London is the subject of Allies in Exile, by the Syrian directors Hasan Kattan and Fadi Al-Halabi; juxtaposing footage shot on iPhone in the hotel, which at one stage is surrounded by anti-refugee protesters, with terrifying footage shot years before in the ruins of Aleppo. The film focuses on the poignant friendship between Kattan and Al-Halabi (also the camera operator), whose own personal loss is all but unbearable”. The Guardian

Hasan Kattan is a Syrian filmmaker and producer with over 14 years of experience documenting the human cost of war and displacement. Emerging during the Syrian revolution, he co-founded the Aleppo Media Center, a pioneering citizen journalism platform that exposed the realities of confl ict in Syria. His work gained international recognition through his contributions to the Oscar-winning The White Helmets (2016) and the Emmy-nominated Last Men in Aleppo (2018), projects that brought the Syrian crisis into sharp global focus. 

He recently produced Death Without Mercy (2024), a documentary examining the aftermath of the Turkey–Syria earthquake and the struggle for accountability. Now based in the United Kingdom as a refugee, Hasan brings a deeply personal perspective to his directorial debut, Allies in Exile. 

Through his work, Hasan amplifies silenced voices and advocates for a more nuanced understanding of exile, resilience, and justice. 

Jouman Fattal (born in Homs, Syria) is a Netherlands-based actress who fled to the Netherlands with her family as a young child and grew up in Weesp. She graduated from the HKU University of the Arts in Utrecht and has since built a versatile career across stage and screen. 

She gained wider recognition through roles in Dutch productions such as De Zuidas and Anne+, earning award nominations including Golden Calf nominations for her acting work. Alongside acting, she works as a theatre director and writer, often focusing on underrepresented and socially relevant stories. 

Since 2023, Fattal has been a high-profile supporter of the UNHCR, actively advocating for displaced people. Drawing on her own refugee background, she raises awareness about refugee issues, including the rights of LGBTQ+ asylum seekers and the global impact of displacement. 

Nadia Moussaid is a prominent media figure in the Netherlands, working primarily with the VPRO. She presents the international affairs radio program Bureau Buitenland on NPO Radio 1 and has hosted various TV programs, including De Nieuwe Maan, Mondo, and her own talk show Nadia. 

She began her career as a researcher and editor before becoming a presenter at AT5, later gaining national recognition through programs like Brandpunt+ and the late-night show Laat op Eén. 

Moussaid studied social and cultural anthropology at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and is known for focusing on social issues, diversity, and international topics in her work. 

She has also created documentaries and interview series and is widely regarded as a leading voice in Dutch journalism, recognized for combining journalistic depth with accessibility. 

Nadia Moussaid will be moderating the after-talk with Hasan Kattan. 

• Bike: By bike coming from Amsterdam Centre, you can take free ferry F3
• Ferry:  Ferry F3 (free) direction Buikslotermeerweg, just behind Amsterdam Central Station  
• Bus: From Amsterdam-Noord, the Eye Filmmuseum can be reached by bus 38. Get off at the Buiksloterveer bus stop 
• Car: Eye Filmmuseum does not have its own parking garage. The nearest parking facility, located directly next to Eye, is A’DAM Parking, underneath the adjacent A’DAM Tower. We recommend using Eye Filmmuseum as your navigation destination.
  Please note that the number of parking spaces available is very limited. Would you like to be sure of a parking space? You can reserve at Parking Centrum Oosterdok or Parkeergarage IJdock. These parking garages are located on the other side of the IJ, near Amsterdam Centraal, and are approximately a 20-minute walk from Eye (including the ferry crossing). 

When you arrive at the Eye Filmmuseum, we will welcome you at the reception on the ground floor.

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for people forced to flee their homes because of conflict and persecution.   

We lead international action to protect refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people. Today, UNHCR works in 137 countries. We provide life-saving assistance, including shelter, food, water and medical care for people forced to flee conflict and persecution, many of whom have nobody left to turn to. We defend their right to reach safety and help them find a place to call home so they can rebuild their lives. Long term, we work with countries to improve and monitor refugee and asylum laws and policies, ensuring human rights are upheld. In everything we do UNHCR considers refugees and those forced to flee as partners, putting those most affected at the centre of planning and decision-making.