Olympic Refuge Foundation’s Post

The comment you provided expresses strong encouragement and support for athletes competing at the Paris 2024 Olympics, particularly focusing on those who are refugees, supported by the UNHCR. Here's a breakdown: 1. Positive and Empowering Tone: The message begins with an uplifting note ("You've got the talent and determination to make history"), boosting the confidence of the athletes and emphasizing their potential for success. 2. Support from the UNHCR: Mentioning the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) supporters highlights a broader community cheering for the refugee athletes, reinforcing solidarity and inclusion. 3. Hashtags (#Paris2024, #CheerForRefugees) These tags tie the message to the event (Paris 2024 Olympics) and a cause (supporting refugee athletes), making it visible and relatable to both sports enthusiasts and humanitarian supporters. To be the first comment, here’s a slightly refined version: Team at #Paris2024! Your talent and determination will make history. 🥇 The UNHCR supporters are standing behind you, cheering you on every step of the way. Let's bring it home! #CheerForRefugees #Paris2024"

On this #WorldRefugeeDay, we honor the resilience and strength of individuals like Ali. Forced to flee his home in Afghanistan due to terrorism, Ali faced immense challenges. Yet, through the #specialolympics Unified with Refugees sports platform, he found opportunities for competition and a path to success. Ali's story is a powerful reminder of the transformative power of sports and community support. Special Olympics Unified with Refugees is possible because of partners like ESPN and Lions Clubs International Foundation. To learn more, follow this link https://lnkd.in/gmVk2bNa

Perseverance personified!  Congratulations to all parties involved in the inspiring story of a Syrian refugee turned UNHCR ambassador. This exemplifies the potential benefits of immigration, highlighting the need for nations to develop policies that foster constructive immigration practices and reduce irregular migration rates. It's important to recognize that most migrants, both regular and irregular, are driven by significant motivations, such as economic opportunities, security concerns, professional development, education, family reunification, or escaping unfavorable circumstances in their home country. Many individuals resort to irregular migration due to lack of awareness, exploitation by unscrupulous actors, financial constraints, or overly restrictive visa application processes. By acknowledging these complexities, we can work towards creating more inclusive and effective immigration systems that benefit both migrants and host countries alike. #donoharm #weareallin #DEI #immigration #respectforall #refugees #diginity #respectforlife #Olympics #refugeeolympics #worldrefugeeday #forthe100million #yusramardini #syrianrefugees #refugeeolympicteam #paris2024 UNHCR, the UN Refugee AgencyUNHCR Canada Canadian Red Cross Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada / Immigration, Réfugiés et Citoyenneté Canada IOM - UN Migration IOM Cambodia United Nations United Nations Volunteers European Leadership U.S. Department of StateUnited States Department of Defense The Canadian Press  Samaritan's Purse

Yesterday a pretty interesting headline caught my eye - "Cindy Ngamba becomes the first person to secure an Olympic medal for the Refugee Olympic Team"   Coming from a nation with an admirable level of national security and stability (that desperately yearns for medals every time the Olympics comes around), I did find it quite inspiring. Some of the stories of these athletes were quite harrowing - like Dorian Keletela (track & field), who had to flee his home in Congo after losing both his parents during a political conflict and start a new life in refugee centers in Portugal, a country where he wasn't even familiar with the local language. Ngamba (who came out as gay few years back) is unable to return to Cameroon due to its anti-gay laws.   This made be dive a bit deeper into the Refugee Olympic team only to discover that it is relatively a recent introduction with the first team being assembled for the 2016 Rio Olympics. However, the improvement in their representation over the last few games has painted a promising picture: 🔹 Rio, 2016: 10 Athletes 🔹 Tokyo, 2021: 29 Athletes 🔹 Paris, 2024: 37 Athletes (+ First Medal)   But when I went a bit further down the rabbit hole I discovered another statistic - Number of forcibly displaced individuals. This statistic (reported by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency) covers both cross border refugees and internally displaced people. There has been a significant change here as well over the last decade, but not in the positive way:   🔹 1994: ~48 Million 🔹 2004: ~40 Million 🔹 2014: ~51 Million 🔹 2024: ~120 Million   On account of an increasing number of conflicts around the world, we have seen the global refugee count more than 2x in the last 10 years year to a frightening count of 120 Million. To put that into context, if the refugees formed a separate country it would be the 12th most populated country in the world - larger than likes of Egypt, Vietnam and Germany and nearly twice the size of the UK.   While the Refugee Olympic Team offers a beacon of hope, it is crucial to remember the ever growing challenges faced by millions of displaced people around the world. Ngamba's performances are a powerful symbol of human spirit, and I eagerly anticipate her performance in the upcoming semi-final (and hopefully, the final) #Olympics

Preserverance is a key building block of success. It means when times get hard your not gonna quit. Sometimes in the face of adversity, obstacles, ridicule, and sometimes it feels(feelings are not facts)…so until you turn over every rock, and sometimes professionally and personally it doesn’t mean give up. There are times it means you have to be adaptable, pliable, and open. It’s okay to revamp the plan, it’s okay not marry the idea. It is okay to have to adjust your professional and personal plan to fit circumstances for the moment. Technology changes so fast if you don’t you will not make it. I could tell you somethings and we would laugh and cry at the same time. Failure is not an option no matter what my obstacles and circumstances are. In fact it makes me more focus you have to see yourself at the end even if your not sure how to get there. #JustKeepGoing #PRESERVERANCEandADAPTABILITY #GoHandInHand #EverySuccessfulPerson #GasEncounteredHardObstacle #ThereMightVeExceptions #ThatIsNotMyStory #PersevereAtAllCost #ThatsWhatIsNeededInEverySituation ##HowDoYouPersevere? #WhenFacingChallenges? #LetUsKnowWhatYouThink? #NoThoughtTooSmall #WeAreLearningAndGrowingTogether

✨ Test your knowledge ✨ What’s the difference between - refugee - asylum seeker - ex pat - immigrant Light trigger warning ⬇️ …. Currently, there are 82 million people escaping war, persecution and political turbulence. These are refugees and asylum seekers. There are others who are looking for jobs or an education, they are usually called migrants and people who want to live permanently in another country, immigrants. There’s been confusion and debate over the use of these terms to describe the plight of people on the move. A refugee is someone who has been forced to flee their home because of war, violence or persecution, often without warning. They are unable to return home unless and until conditions in their native lands are safe for them again. Let me introduce you to some of the Paris IOC Refugee Olympic Team which represents more than the forcibly displaced people worldwide. Made up of 36 athletes from 11 different countries, hosted by 15 National Olympic Committees and competing across 12 sports, the team demonstrates to the world that refugees are an enrichment to the society. We see you Cindy Ngamba!!!! Nike are the official kit sponsors of the team for the Paris Olympics in 2024 This video is so powerful, I literally get goosebumps everytime I watch it! I think this will be the team I support this games!!! #inclusivesport #parisolympics #refugees #IOC #inclusivekit #edisport Source https://lnkd.in/ehrAqAad

The torch flame indeed carries a powerful symbolism of hope and unity. At a time when millions of people are suffering from the effects of conflict, the #Paris2024 Olympics can serve as a beacon of inspiration for many communities. In the face of difficulties, peace and resilience become more crucial than ever. The torch flame's journey through various regions does not only symbolize the spirit of the games but also highlight the importance of coming together, fostering dialogue, and building a more peaceful world. The #Paris2024 Olympics stand as a testament to the enduring human spirit and our collective commitment to overcoming adversity.

#Watch: The Paris 2024 Olympics will host a special Refugee Olympic Team for the third time. Here's an explanation of the team and the goals the Olympics aims to achieve with their participation. #Olympics #Olympics2024 #Paris2024 #ParisOlympics #ParisOlympics2024 #FranceOlympics #FranceOlympics2024 #Paris2024 #France #Paris #IOC #RefugeeOlympics #RefugeeTeamOlympics

Even a combat sport like boxing has clear rules of acceptable behaviour: no hitting below the belt. Any boxer punched below the belt, would feel excruciating pain in the pit of the stomach, experience dizziness and a loss of balance likely keeling over, suffer from nausea and sometimes even vomit — all whilst feeling extreme anger. This is how millions around the world felt when they heard about the suspension of aid to #UNWRA following ‘confessions’ obtained by an organisation infamous for its methods of extraction. No independent investigation was conducted into the allegations, no reliable proof was reviewed or even provided - in fact no serious process was conducted prior to agreeing to remove the single largest obstacle to ethnically cleansing #gaza and accelerating the on-going collective punishment on Gaza. Why does anyone hit below the belt (assuming intent)? Quite simply to gain an unfair advantage. Unable to compete on a level playing field, desperation and frustration sets in overriding any sense of moral integrity. In the corporate world, equivalent “dirty tactics” might be employed when a person feels they have nothing to lose; a bitter employee leaving the company, highly insecure employee - it can often be the last throw of the dice from which there is no return. It could also be the culture of the organisation, where the only thing that matters is achieving the ‘what’; ie winning at all costs, with no regard to the how. Increase the gap between yourself and your competitor either by excelling or knocking down your opposition; the net result is the same. Under no circumstance is this allowed to permeate in leading organisations so shouldn’t we expect our political leaders to also play by the rules, to lead by example, to hold to the core values of Truth, Justice and Compassion - even honour. Instead, akin to the boxer, who continiously hurts his opponent illegally, confident in the knowledge that he can’t lose as the result has already been ‘bought’, the US and it’s ‘inner circle’ respond with complete and utter contempt of the ICJ. Incredibly only hours after the ICJ concluded plausible genocide and ordered a dramatic increase in humanitarian efforts! “Their war on UNRWA is intended as an act of collective intimidation directed towards the court. It is a sign that the West refuses to accept that international law applies to it, or its client state.” Surely, regardless of any personal viewpoint, it must still be difficult to comprehend this level of cruelty imposed on the people of Gaza through this coordinated political attack on UNWRA. It is absolutely shocking, unfathomable. This short blog is a ‘must read’ for any #truthseekers #ceasefirenow #liveandletlive #servantleader #humanity #speakup https://lnkd.in/gPac7uST