Mika, a refugee profile

Mika is a 39-year-old singer-songwriter-television-presenter, born as Michael Penniman. He left his home in Beirut with his family in 1984 at the age of just one-year-old as a consequence of the civil war. The Lebanese civil war lasted for around fifteen years and almost one million people were displaced throughout the period of conflict. Mika and his family moved to Paris, France, and continued to live between there and London as he grew older alongside his four siblings. Here, he quickly developed his musical passions and is said to have written his first complete song at the age of seven. Mika won a Brit Award applauding his breakthrough as an artist in 2008 and was nominated for a Grammy that same year. His debut album Life in Cartoon Motion, released in 2007, sold over eight million copies worldwide. He also reached number one on the United Kingdom singles chart that year with perhaps his most famous hit Grace Kelly. Mika’s musical pursuits have continued, with his latest album being released in 2019 and his television presenting portfolio has increased alongside his musical publications. Mika was a judge on The Voice France,  The X Factor Italy, and hosted Eurovision, to name just a few of his impressive range of television credits. His creative endeavours serve as a demonstration of the immense talent that can be cultivated through the provision of safe and secure homes and education for refugees - his global musical impact is only the tip of the iceberg regarding his contributions to society. He has worked alongside United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) since 2014 and with them has returned to Lebanon to support the refugees displaced by the conflict in Syria. His impact can be felt nationally, continentally, and globally.