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Maha Mamo. Photo: WCC

Maha Mamo. Photo: WCC

“I didn’t have any document that says who I am, so I started to look for answers that would help me to understand the real definition of my condition as a stateless person”, said Maha Mamo in a video interview published by World Council of Churches communications.

Maha Mamo is stateless. Her parents are both Syrian but because her mother is Muslim and her father is Christian their marriage is not officially recognized by the Syrian authorities. In Syria, you're not given citizenship if your parents' marriage is not officially recognized.

Stateless people are individuals who are not recognized as citizens by any country in the world, and consequently are denied their basic human rights.

Maha shared details of the daily life of stateless people and how her struggle for citizenship led her to join the advocacy work for the rights of stateless people worldwide.

The interview, recorded on 4 October 2018, at the WCC headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, preceded a surprise ceremony at the United Nations office, where Maha received Brazilian citizenship.

The 10th Assembly of the WCC in 2013 called the ecumenical family to join and walk together in a Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace, bringing those left on the margins to the center. As part of this process, the WCC has stepped up its efforts to advocate for the rights of the most vulnerable groups in society, including stateless people.

Watch the video interview

Learn more about the WCC advocacy work on the rights of stateless people