Tokyo Olympics: Olympic Refugee Team a symbol of Hope
- Jul 29, 2021
- 1 min read
The Olympic Games have always provided moments of greatness and inspiration as we watch the greatest athletes from across the globe compete for one of the highest accolades in their career, an Olympic medal.
In Tokyo in 2021, twenty-nine stateless athletes are providing hope and inspiration as they raise awareness of the more than 80 million forcibly displaced people around the world when they compete as part of the special Refugee Olympic Team at the Tokyo Games.
This team all share a story of trauma, tragedy, sadness and loss, but they also share a story of strength, courage, resilience and hope.
They embody the spirit of humanity
They embody the spirit of humanity and "also a message that these forcibly displaced people are an enrichment to all our societies and that we should embrace them like we do in the Olympic Games, to show all our unity in all our diversity" says Thomas Bach, IOC President.
This team don’t need to win an Olympic medal…they are already a team of HEROES!
The Olympic Refugee Team truly embodies resilience and the human spirit amidst adversity. Their journey not only inspires others in the sporting world but level devil game also sheds light on the broader refugee crisis. It reminds us that hope can be found even in dire circumstances, encouraging us to advocate for change and support those who need it most.
Reading this made me think about how easy it is to get caught up in medal counts and national pride, and totally miss the actual human stories. These athletes... man. That "enrichment to all our societies" bit really hit me. I remember being completely addicted to Flappy Bird once - imagine channeling that kind of focus into surviving displacement and then still competing at the highest level? Just... incredible. Thanks for sharing. This needs to be shouted from the rooftops.