Samih Mazien Mahmoud, 23, and Rayan Sokkar, 24, both Palestinian journalists, had their engagement photos taken in Shatila refugee camp, where Sokkar was born and raised.
Mahmoud, however, moved to Shatila from Yarmouk camp, Syria in 2013.
The camp, which is now home to over 10 000 people, was set up in 1949 in Beirut, Lebanon to accommodate Palestinian refugees. The young couple chose the spot for its emotional value and to move away from stereotyped engagement photos.
Sokkar said:
I lived the most beautiful childhood there [Shatila refugee camp] and it makes me sad when people speak negatively about it.
Mahmoud added:
We wanted to do something new and different than most couples, who [typically] take photos in front of cityscapes or next to famous buildings.
The photos were taken by Omar Ahmad/Newsflash, the couple’s friend. Mahmoud and Sokkar were surprised when they saw how many people shared and reacted to their photos.
