Translators without Borders says "Welcome" to the refugees when they arrive on the shores of Greece

You may not think of language as an issue for the refugees, but imagine surviving a perilous journey by sea with your family and washing up on the shores, cold, tired and hungry, and not knowing where exactly you are. In fact, "Where am I?" is one of the very first questions the Syrian refugees are asking today. The answer is printed on posters such as this one outside the Medecins sans frontières tent, translated into Arabic, Farsi and Pashto by Translators without Borders.

The answer is Welcome.

The first thing people see when they arrive on the Greek island of Lesvos (or Lesbos) is a message, in their language: Welcome to the island of Lesvos. You have arrived on the North of the island in a town called Molyvos.

Without Greek or English language skills, arrival on these foreign shores can be bewildering and frightening.When the refugees arrive at night, they need to know whether they should continue on (no: travel is dangerous for them at night) and where they can find shelter for themselves and their children (directions are provided to the nearest refugee camp).

As the refugees move north, in search of an asylum to escape the wars and other dangers they have left behind, Translators without Borders continues to provide language support.

Information in the right language not only helps people understand what their choices are, but it also provides reassurance. In the words of the UNHCR staff member below, "I've seen so many faces light up just because they heard 'Welcome to Croatia' in their language.

Safety, dignity and empowerment for all people is not possible without the right to information in their own language. This is what Translators without Borders is fighting for.