Beyond All Limits: Ahmed’s Journey from Baghdad to Belgrade

After arriving in Serbia as a teenager from Iraq, Ahmed has spent over a decade building a life in Belgrade—overcoming language barriers, legal hurdles and housing challenges with determination and grace. Now on the path to Serbian citizenship and pursuing his dream of becoming a pilot, Ahmed’s story reflects resilience, belonging and the quiet hope of starting anew.

From Baghdad to Belgrade: Finding Home and Identity

Ahmed’s journey in Serbia began in 2014, when he arrived in the southern city of Nis with his father, who had come to pursue postgraduate studies, and his two brothers and two sisters. Just sixteen at the time, Ahmed left behind the streets of Baghdad for a life in the Balkans, stepping into an unfamiliar world.

When asked whether he’s faced particularly hard moments since arriving, he quietly points to the early language barrier as the biggest hurdle. Over time, he overcame it thanks to his father, who supported him through long evenings of learning, and to his first girlfriend in Serbia. When they met, she didn’t speak English, and he didn’t speak Serbian, so they taught each other. Today, most people wouldn’t guess he wasn’t born here. “You know that feeling when you live abroad, and you just can’t fully get the jokes or slang and something’s always missing?” he says. “Well, I get the jokes. I grew up here. Belgrade is my city.”

As things changed back home in Iraq, so did their lives in Serbia. By 2017, the worsening security situation forced Ahmed’s father to seek international protection for the entire family. In early 2018, they were granted subsidiary protection, a status that had to be renewed every year. It offered safety, but limited their freedom of movement. Eventually, his family moved to Türkiye. Ahmed stayed behind, navigating adulthood alone in a new country, eventually making his way to Belgrade.

One of the harshest restrictions he’s faced was not being able to travel. Subsidiary protection doesn’t come with a passport and Ahmed has carried the quiet weight of that limitation for years. “A colleague said to me, ‘Let’s go to the seaside, it would be so great!’ And I told her, ‘I’ve never seen the sea. I’ve never been to a beach. I’d love to go, but I can’t.’” Only in late 2024 did things begin to shift. When the law changed, Ahmed finally received permanent residency, and with it, the chance to apply for Serbian citizenship.

Despite years of uncertainty, Ahmed has never let restrictions dim his spirit. He speaks of Belgrade with the warmth of someone who’s truly grown roots. “Belgrade is Belgrade, there’s no city like it. Every day something’s happening. People are out in the streets, partying, living. Even if you don’t have money, you can feel the energy. This city is alive. It has a soul.” Ask him where he’d take friends visiting from Iraq and he has a list ready: Kalemegdan at sunset, the riverfront at Dorcol, quiet walks through Zvezdara forest, the charm of Zemun. His favorite café. A park bench in Dedinje. Places where the city speaks softly.

New Wings: A Dream to Fly and a Life Rebuilt with Support

Today, Ahmed works at the local airport, preparing meals for Arabic-speaking travelers. He sees comfort in the familiar spices and sees kinship between Serbian and Arabic cuisine. He swears by sarma, proja and cevapi (kebabs). But the airport isn’t his final destination. Ahmed is studying to become a pilot. His dream is to soar above the places he has called home—Baghdad, Belgrade and beyond and see the world from a bird’s perspective.

Recently, Ahmed found himself facing another challenge. He had to leave the apartment he had lived in for years with very little notice and nowhere to go. Thanks to CWS and our partners at the Belgrade Centre for Human Rights, he received a temporary housing accommodation for a month—just enough time to catch his breath and figure out his next steps. This short-term housing solution, part of a broader effort to support refugees and asylum seekers at critical moments of transition, has helped many like Ahmed avoid slipping into homelessness while they work toward more stable, long-term solutions. 

Nowadays, he continues forward with quiet determination and open-hearted hope. He’s not sure where life will take him and he’s okay with that. “I’m not afraid,” he says. “I’ll try whatever comes. Anything’s possible.” 

CWS is thankful for the generosity of Airbnb.org, whose support has allowed individuals like Ahmed to receive temporary housing as they establish their new and permanent homes. Learn more about our ongoing work in Eastern Europe and how CWS provides temporary housing support by visiting our website.