“When Mir Was 13, He Was Forced to Flee”:
WBW July Book Club
World BEYOND War
(June 16, 2026) — When Mir Rahami was thirteen, he was forced to flee his village in the mountains of Afghanistan. Separated from his family, he embarked on an astonishing journey across snowy mountains, treacherous land and unforgiving seas, until he reached Dover, England, clinging to the underside of a lorry. It was in the UK that he realized his journey had only just begun.
Mir’s unbelievable story of seeking a better life and education — for himself and for others — gives us badly needed insights into wars and the refugee crises they create.
In July 2026, World BEYOND War will be holding a weekly discussion each of four weeks of the book Across Mountains, Land and Sea: One Boy’s Extraordinary Journey, with the author (and subject of the story) Mir Rahimi.
When you register for the club, we will provide you a free book as PDF, Kindle, or Audiobook (requires Audible membership).
We’ll let you know which parts of the book will be discussed each week along with the Zoom details to access the discussions.
When:
For one hour on Tuesday July 7, 14, 21, and 28, 2026, beginning at UTC 17:00, which is Tuesday at 7 am in Honolulu, 10 am in Los Angeles, 11 am in Mexico City, 1 pm in New York, 6 pm in Yaoundé, 7 pm in Amsterdam, and 8:30 pm in Tehran.
Where:
Zoom (details to be shared upon registration). This is a small group series with limited space of up to approximately 18 people. Sign up to reserve your spot. We look forward to reading and discussing this important book with you!
About the Book:
When Mir was thirteen, he was forced to flee his village in the mountains of Afghanistan. Separated from his family he embarked on an astonishing journey across snowy mountains, treacherous land and unforgiving seas, until he reached Dover clinging to the underside of a lorry. It was in the UK that he realised his journey had only just begun. This is Mir’s unbelievable story of escaping war, death, and destruction.
Praise for the Book:
- A poignant and powerful read
—Jake Hall, author of SHOULDER TO SHOULDER
- The clean narrative delivers brutal realities. I was left reeling at one boy’s journey, his courage, the unflinching honesty. It is a timely work and an essential read. Full of humanity and grace.
—Melody Razak, author of MOTH - What Mir’s memoir tells us is how he walked that unbelievably challenging course with a humility and thoughtfulness that is both humbling and inspiring. It is vital we all learn this lesson from Mir’s story. We must come together to replace the endless war cycle that leads too many victims to justify revenge and retribution with a vision for building the just peace we all deserve, especially Mir and his fellow Afghans.
—Paul Fitzgerald & Elizabeth Gould, authors of INVISIBLE HISTORY
- A timely reminder of the extraordinary risks asylum-seekers so often have to take
—The FINANCIAL TIMES
Tickets
All three levels get you the same: a copy of the book and participation in the four-session book club. Choose the donation amount that fits your budget. We’re trying to help some folks get in for less while asking those who can pay more to do so.
