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Quote by Ishmael Beah

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A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier

This memoir recounts the harrowing journey of a young boy who is forced to become a soldier in the midst of the civil war in Sierra Leone. The author shares his personal account of the violence, hardship, and loss he endured during this tumultuous period. more

Author

Ishmael Beah
Ishmael Beah

Ishmael Beah is a former child soldier, writer, and human rights activist. During the Liberian Civil War, he was recruited as a soldier and experienced the harsh realities of war. After the war, with the help of UNICEF, he returned to school and completed his education. His memoir, 'A Long Way Gone', which tells his personal experiences, has received widespread attention and acclaim, winning him numerous awards. He is also actively involved in human rights activities, dedicated to raising awareness about the issue of child soldiers. more

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“Whenever I speak at the United Nations, UNICEF or elsewhere to raise awareness of the continual and rampant recruitment of children in wars around the world, I come to realize that I still do not fully understand how I could have possibly survived the civil war in my country, Sierra Leone.”

“I grew up in Sierra Leone, in a small village where as a boy my imagination was sparked by the oral tradition of storytelling. At a very young age I learned the importance of telling stories - I saw that stories are the most potent way of seeing anything we encounter in our lives, and how we can deal with living.”

“In my opinion, everybody has the same soul from God and we are united by that. Outside, our bodies are different, our faces are different, but inside we are all the same, we share the same feelings of sadness, love, pain My music comes out of these feelings. Whether it is Japanese music, African, Qawalli, or any other form of music, if it touches your heart it becomes important for me.”