7Thaer Abdallah is a Palestinian artist and human rights activist who was born in Iraq and grew up in Baghdad in a one-bedroom apartment with his 12 brothers and sisters. Together they survived three wars and unbelievable challenges, culminating in the kidnapping and torture of Palestinian community members following the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Thaer's story of hope and resilience leads him from the streets of Baghdad to the empty desert, from loneliness to love, from the pain of imprisonment and torture to an impossible dream of new life in a foreign land. His example of courage and survival gives hope to all who suffer seemingly insurmountable challenges, and shines a light through the darkness of our times.