TRENDING

Bana al-Abed may be just 10 years old, but that doesn't limit her ability to change the world. 

Born in Aleppo, Syria, Bana was just 3 years old when her country became divided by a civil war. Her childhood was surrounded by violence, with bombings and destruction becoming more and more commonplace.

When Bana turned 8 she decided she needed to do something to share her experiences and spread awareness for the issues going on in Syria. With the help of her English-speaking mother, Bana tweeted describing her horrific experiences. The tweets were posted daily and were viewed by an audience of millions of concerned people. She made a call to action to stop the violence in Syria to protect the country's children. 

With continued help from her mother, Bana has now published a book, Dear World: A Syrian Girl's Story of War and Plea for Peace, further describing her experiences and her message: "I need peace."

In 2018, Bana was honored by receiving the Freedom Award in Berlin. She is the youngest person to ever receive this award.

There are so many heavy things happening in the world today, but Bana is a perfect reminder that there is *always* something we can do to make a difference—big or small.

Learn more about Bana on her website and purchase her book here. 

Main photo: Twitter

by Olivia Celiberti | 4/1/2020