IKEA Recreates Syrian Home in Norway Store to Raise Funds for War Victims

IKEA, in collaboration with the Red Cross, has reconstructed a Syrian apartment inside its Slependen store in Norway. The installation, titled "25 meters of Syria," replicates the actual home of a woman named Rana and her ten family members in the suburbs of Damascus. The dwelling features bare brick walls, thin foam mattresses instead of beds, and personal objects, with IKEA-style labels providing information about the family and instructions for donations. The campaign aims to raise funds for populations living in war zones. Created by advertising agency POL, the project has attracted over 40,000 visitors. Maja Folgero, one of the campaign creators, stated that despite powerful video footage, nothing compares to the experience of visiting a home in a war zone. IKEA has a history of charitable work through its IKEA Foundation, which since 2010 has supported children in crisis areas through low-cost housing, school construction, anti-child labor initiatives, and sustainable agriculture.