Sudan, Remember Us:

Abdulaal Hussein. Born in Sudan in 1999, Abdulaal Hussein fled his country at 17 and now lives in Utrecht, where he studies Theatre Performance at the Creative College. He discovered his passion for theatre through WijkSafari AZC by Adelheid&ZINA and has since performed in productions such as Caligula at Theater Utrecht. Alongside his artistic work, Abdulaal shares his story in Vrijheidscolleges and public talks to inspire dialogue and understanding.

Irene van Rij is Head of the National Office of UNHCR in the Netherlands. With over 15 years of experience in humanitarian work, she has supported refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants across countries including DRC, Ethiopia, Pakistan, Ecuador, and Aruba. Irene focuses on protection, legal safeguards, and integration, working closely with partners and local authorities to create durable solutions and improve the lives of displaced communities. 

Ahmed Muzamil, Artist and Activist, protagonist of Sudan, Remember Us. Ahmed Muzamil, one of the protagonists of the film Sudan, Remember Us, and his friends turn to art, song, and poetry to express their resistance. “We do not seek revenge, we demand our rights,” says Muzamil after a brutal massacre during a peaceful sit-in. He now lives in the Netherlands. 

Thirsa de Vries is Senior Programme Officer at PAX voor Vrede, the Dutch peace organisation. With extensive experience in peacebuilding and civic engagement, she leads programmes in Iraq and Sudan that promote inclusive governance, youth participation, and the protection of civilians in conflict-affected areas. Thirsa works closely with local partners and communities to strengthen civic space and advance sustainable peace.

• 5:15 PM – Walk-in with drinks & bites
• 6:00 PM – Screening of Sudan, Remember Us
• 7:30 PM – Panel Talk + Q&A
• 8:00 PM onwards – Drinks & bites

Watch the trailer here.

The streets are empty. A plastic bag swirls in the air. A single bird lands in the dust. The silence is broken by a fighter plane firing a missile. Cell phone footage shows heavily armed soldiers unleashing their machine guns. It is April 2023, and we closely follow a few young people to witness how the war in Sudan is destroying a whole generation like them. 

Director Hind Meddeb first visited the capital Khartoum in 2019. There she met the young artists and activists Shajane, Muzamil, Maha, Rufaida, Hamza and Eros. Back then they were in a much more optimistic frame of mind. The dictatorial regime had just been deposed and they were fighting for freedom and democracy with strikes and extended sit-ins. 

Sudan, Remember Us shows how these young people are trying to energize their revolution with poetry and music, despite arrests and the bloody putdown of protests. “Words are stronger than bullets,” is their mantra. For a long time fear was muffled by hope, fragments of which Meddeb brings together in this film. 

Sudan faces one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises, triggered by ongoing conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since April 2023. By late 2024, over 11 million people were internally displaced — the highest number globally — and 2.7 million had fled to neighbouring countries such as Chad, South Sudan, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the Central African Republic.

The conflict has devastated infrastructure and essential services, collapsing health systems, disrupting education, and worsening food insecurity, with several regions at risk of famine.

Despite immense challenges and limited access, UNHCR remains operational in seven Sudanese states, providing life-saving aid, cross-border support, and remote monitoring. It is also assisting neighbouring countries to manage refugee inflows. Continued, flexible international support is essential to meet urgent needs and foster conditions for long-term recovery.

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.

By public transport 

By bike, tram (Van Baerlestraat stop) or car (Q-Park Byzantium parking). When you arrive at the IDFA Pavilion, we will welcome you at the reception on the ground floor.