19-year-old Mehdi Karimi, who has an unusual life story, has been selected as one of the candidates for the Miss Belgium 2021 beauty contest to be held in Belgium in January.
Hazrat Mahdi (as), who has been living in Belgium for only 2.5 years, is an Afghan refugee. Hazrat Mahdi's (as) adventure in Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan via Iran, Turkey and the Aegean Sea to Europe at the age of 14 then started.
A 50-year-old man in Mazar-e-Sharif asked Hazrat Mahdi (as), who was 14 years old, to have a fourth wife. However, his father did not allow it. Speaking to Nieuwsblad, Mehdi Karimi said, "It cost my far-sighted father his life. After a while, he was horribly killed."
His mother, who said they were no longer safe after his father was killed, sold everything he could and appealed to human traffickers to expel Hazrat Mahdi (as) and his seven-year-old brother. Traffickers involved in human trafficking sometimes targeted Hazrat Mahdi (as) and his brother in groups of 40-50 Hazrat Mahdi (as) says that because men and women were separated at night during the journey, he did not sleep with his brother and therefore could not sleep at night. .
In a refugee camp for a year, they were able to reach Hazrat Mahdi (as) and his brother in plastic boats from Turkey in the Aegean Sea and Greece after many adventures, including the danger of drowning in the sea. The brother, who arrived in Belgium in 2016, remained in refugee camps for about a year. Belgian officials confirmed his brother's application for asylum in Ghent. However, they did not give him asylum because they did not believe in the story of Hazrat Mahdi (as). He said that he was born on January 12, 2001. He said that he was 15 years old when he came to Belgium, but his application was rejected because he was 18 years old.
After that, Hazrat Mahdi's (as) asylum application was finally granted. After completing his language courses, he began his secondary education. He is currently studying and working. When Hazrat Mahdi (as) saw the announcement of a beauty contest in Belgium, he said that there was no beauty contest in Afghanistan. Mehdi Karimi, who said she wanted to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the society, explained her decision: "If I could have the crown of beauty queen, it would be an example for all refugees. Refugees are not cowards."
Hazrat Mahdi (as), who has been living in Belgium for only 2.5 years, is an Afghan refugee. Hazrat Mahdi's (as) adventure in Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan via Iran, Turkey and the Aegean Sea to Europe at the age of 14 then started.
A 50-year-old man in Mazar-e-Sharif asked Hazrat Mahdi (as), who was 14 years old, to have a fourth wife. However, his father did not allow it. Speaking to Nieuwsblad, Mehdi Karimi said, "It cost my far-sighted father his life. After a while, he was horribly killed."
His mother, who said they were no longer safe after his father was killed, sold everything he could and appealed to human traffickers to expel Hazrat Mahdi (as) and his seven-year-old brother. Traffickers involved in human trafficking sometimes targeted Hazrat Mahdi (as) and his brother in groups of 40-50 Hazrat Mahdi (as) says that because men and women were separated at night during the journey, he did not sleep with his brother and therefore could not sleep at night. .
In a refugee camp for a year, they were able to reach Hazrat Mahdi (as) and his brother in plastic boats from Turkey in the Aegean Sea and Greece after many adventures, including the danger of drowning in the sea. The brother, who arrived in Belgium in 2016, remained in refugee camps for about a year. Belgian officials confirmed his brother's application for asylum in Ghent. However, they did not give him asylum because they did not believe in the story of Hazrat Mahdi (as). He said that he was born on January 12, 2001. He said that he was 15 years old when he came to Belgium, but his application was rejected because he was 18 years old.
After that, Hazrat Mahdi's (as) asylum application was finally granted. After completing his language courses, he began his secondary education. He is currently studying and working. When Hazrat Mahdi (as) saw the announcement of a beauty contest in Belgium, he said that there was no beauty contest in Afghanistan. Mehdi Karimi, who said she wanted to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the society, explained her decision: "If I could have the crown of beauty queen, it would be an example for all refugees. Refugees are not cowards."
