Disturbing video brings Syria to the West

A young girl is shown in close-up blowing out candles on a birthday cake, playing dress-up and asleep peacefully in a car. Then the images become darker, showing disruption, chaos, bombs and panic as the scenes descend into a Syria-type conflict and the girl and her family are forced to flee their home in fear.

The images are from a startling new Save The Children campaign that imagines what London would be like if plunged into a conflict similar to that in Syria.

The one-and-a-half minute video was launched in the run-up to the three-year anniversary of the conflict, in which, to date, 10,000 children have lost their lives and 2.3 million people have become refugees.

It closes with the words: "Just because it isn't happening here, doesn't mean it isn't happening."

"We hope the video will resonate with members of the public, particularly those who don't know much about the situation in Syria so they can really understand the plight of innocent Syrian children," said Jake Lundi, Director of Brand and Communications at Save The Children. "The message to the public is just because it's not happening here, doesn't mean it's not happening."

The conflict has caused a huge humanitarian crisis in the country. Last month, the United Nations Security Council called for both the Assad regime and opposition forces to provide immediate access to deliver aid to millions in need of help.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said at the time: "Half the country's people need urgent assistance. Host countries need support in caring for more than 2.5 million refugees."

He described as "profoundly shocking" the fact that "both sides are besieging civilians as a tactic of war".

"Some 200,000 people are under siege in government-controlled areas - and 45,000 in opposition-controlled areas," he added.

UN humanitarian chief Baroness Amos has described progress on delivering aid to those most in need as "limited, uneven and painfully slow".

She said last month: "It is vital that ordinary people, who have been bearing the brunt of the violence, are protected. More than anything, the conflict needs to end so that people can begin to rebuild their lives. Syria is in danger of losing a generation of its children. Children are the future. We must protect them."

- UK Independent