As Pokémon Go captivates people from New York to Indonesia, Syrian refugee children are invoking the game's "catch 'em all" motto by holding up Pokémon characters and asking for help.
One sign held by a young boy reads, "I live in Kafr Nabl, the Aleppo countryside. Come catch me.”
Another reads, “I am a Pokémon at Idlib in Syria, would you please come and save me?”
It's a heartbreaking collision of pop culture and the terror that afflicts parts of the world.
Since Syria’s civil war broke out in 2011, around 400,000 people have died, more than 5 million refugees have fled the country, and another 6.6 million are internally displaced.
I am in #Syria...Do something to find me!!#PokemonInSyria#PokemonGO#PrayForSyriapic.twitter.com/8HK7Tg0kOq
— إعلام قوى الثورة (@RFS_mediaoffice) July 21, 2016
Efforts to help refugees have stalled in many countries, most vividly in Europe. Oftentimes, refugees are detained and shipped back to where they came from. Or they're held in shabby camps that hold no opportunity for moving on and building a new life.
Read more: How Can the UK Stand by and Leave 3,000 Refugee Children Alone in Europe?
This particular project is from The Revolutionary Forces of Syria Media Office.
#PrayForSyria#PokemonInSyria#RFSpic.twitter.com/N0nLvrPpUp
— إعلام قوى الثورة (@RFS_mediaoffice) July 21, 2016
Of course, Syrian refugees are more important than fictional creatures, but the campaign highlights an unnerving reality. With record numbers of refugees living in dire situations, why does the world's attention seem to fade so often?
Read more: An Overwhelming Response from Global Citizens on Europe's Refugee Crisis
The campaign begs the question: Can't more be done to help Syria's children?
If you are looking for a #Pokemon you can find it in #Syria...Save it !! #PokemonInSyria#PokemonGO#PrayForSyrianpic.twitter.com/zXuNhf5gD0
— إعلام قوى الثورة (@RFS_mediaoffice) July 21, 2016
A graphic designer in Syria, Saif Aldeen Tahhan, has also used Pokémon Go to jar people into awareness.
His designs imagine a world where the augmented reality of Pokémon Go could be used in Syria to find necessary supplies like medical kits or life rafts.
Read more: Doctors Are Performing Heart Surgeries Via Skype. This is the Harsh Reality of Syria.
“I created these images as a way to turn attention to the Syrian war, and to focus on Syrian suffering instead of Pokémon, which people are crazy about,” Tahhan told Al Arabiya.
“The world has become obsessed with this video game, so I told myself why not use it as a medium to convey our suffering," he said.