ABERYSTWYTH, Wales — The blacksmith had never heard of Wales before he was told he was about to move there.

Mohammad Karkoubi had agreed to be part of a British government program to resettle Syrian refugees across the United Kingdom.

Accompanied by his wife and three children, Karkoubi was handed a welcome guide in Arabic on the flight over that explained that Wales was a small country with its own language, green mountains and lots of sheep.

Some three years later, Karkoubi works as a welder in a small workshop in Tregaron, a farming community in central Wales. As well as learning English, the native Arabic speaker is also attempting to master Welsh.

A 35-year-old Aleppo native, Karkoubi may be a way off from fluency, but his integration into the local community is what the Welsh government hopes all refugees will have the opportunity to achieve under a new plan.

While countries throughout Europe have closed their borders to asylum-seekers and looked to discourage those who arrive from settling permanently, Wales says it is intent on becoming a “nation of sanctuary” for those fleeing war and persecution.

“There is a phrase, ‘Welcome to the valleys and the hillsides of Wales,’ because that is how we’ve always been — a nation that welcomes people,” said Jane Hutt, a veteran Welsh lawmaker who is responsible for implementing the program.