Latest news with #YusraMardini
Khaleej Times
5 days ago
- Sport
- Khaleej Times
'Being a refugee is not a choice': How a two-time Olympian turned survival into hope
At just 17, Yusra Mardini fled a war-torn Syria, crossing nine countries and nearly drowning at sea, before finding safety in Germany. Years later, the world watched as she carried the white flag of the Refugee Olympic Team into the Tokyo Games — a symbol of strength, survival, and hope. But in Budapest 2022, Yusra swam her final race for the team that changed her life. As her competitive chapter with the Refugee Team came to a close, a new one opened with the release of The Swimmers on Netflix, a powerful film that tells her extraordinary story. More than just a biopic, the film sparked deeper conversations about what it means to be a refugee. 'Being a refugee is not a choice,' she tells wknd. 'Our only choice was to die at home or risk death trying to escape.' Now a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador and global voice for displaced communities, Yusra continues to inspire — both in and out of the water. Swimming for life Swimming was always part of Yusra's life, growing up in Damascus. But when war shattered her homeland, it became the very thing that kept her alive. In 2015, she and her sister Sara fled Syria, braving a perilous journey across nine countries. When their overloaded dinghy began to sink in the Aegean Sea, the sisters leapt into the water, using their strength and skill to guide the boat and its passengers to safety. They eventually found refuge in Berlin. There, Yusra was embraced by the club Wasserfreunde Spandau 04, where her Olympic dreams were rekindled. Just one year later, she was competing in Rio as part of the first-ever Refugee Olympic Team, later returning for Tokyo 2020. Competing without a flag Yusra's Olympic journey began in 2016 when she competed in Rio as part of the first-ever Refugee Team. Walking into Rio's Maracanã Stadium was a defining moment. 'I wasn't fully comfortable with the label 'refugee' then,' she recalls. 'But that moment changed everything. I realised the Refugee Team wasn't just about sport — it was about hope.' She competed again in Tokyo 2020 under entirely different circumstances — amid a global pandemic, in isolation, because she couldn't get sick. 'Both Games were incredibly tough,' she says, 'but my stubbornness and belief in my dream carried me through.' Competing without a national flag raised complex questions of identity. For Yusra, the answer is layered but clear. 'I'm more than a flag. I'm Syrian. I was hosted in Germany. I live in the US. I am a refugee, a swimmer, a storyteller. My identity is all of it. I've learned I can feel at home anywhere because I know who I am.' This fluid identity has given her strength and a unique platform to advocate for displaced people worldwide. In 2022, at the World Aquatics Championships in Budapest, Yusra swam her last race as part of the Refugee Olympic Team, a fitting finale to an extraordinary athletic chapter. On Netflix When The Swimmers premiered on Netflix in November, millions were swept into the gripping true story of two sisters who swam for their lives to survive. For Yusra, watching her life play out on screen was more than emotional — it was transformative. 'It was surreal,' she says. 'I laughed, I cried. I was proud of the moments I didn't give up. But this movie wasn't just about me. It was about millions of refugees whose stories go unheard.' Yusra wasn't on set for most of the filming of The Swimmers as she was in the thick of training for her second Olympic Games, and Covid restrictions were in full force. But she was very involved in every aspect of the film. 'We spent weeks with the scriptwriter sharing every detail of our journey. We spoke with the director at length to make sure the story stayed authentic to what my sister and I lived through,' she shares. 'I only made it to the very last day of filming,' she recalls. 'But even from a distance, I felt connected to every step of the process.' Dramatic, raw, and deeply human, The Swimmers captured Yusra and Sara's terrifying journey from Syria to Europe. In one unforgettable scene, they leap from a sinking rubber dinghy into the frigid Aegean Sea and swim for hours, pulling the boat and its passengers to safety. 'That part was definitely difficult to revisit,' Yusra says. 'I know how many people have lost their lives trying to make that same journey. So many people didn't make it,' she says. 'It's hard, but necessary to show the world the reality. It's not just my story. It's a shared pain.' But amid the trauma, there were moments that filled her with pride. 'One scene that really moved me was seeing myself achieve my dream — making it to the Rio Olympics,' she smiles. 'That reminded me how far I've come, and how strong I had to be to get there.' A voice for the voiceless Today, Yusra uses her voice not just in stadiums, but in classrooms, refugee camps, boardrooms, and stages around the world. As a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador, she is tireless in reiterating to the world: 'Being a refugee is not a choice. It's a last resort.' She's been honoured with TIME's '30 Most Influential Teens', the Bambi Award for 'Silent Heroes', and UNICEF's Global Goal 'Girls Award'. But the real reward, she says, is meeting young refugees and sharing their resilience. 'Representing refugees is not a burden — it's a responsibility I carry with pride.' To further her impact, she launched the Yusra Mardini Foundation, which provides refugee youth with access to education and sport. 'Sports gave me my future,' she says. 'Now I want to pass that gift on.' Beyond the pool While swimming changed Yusra's life, she's now diving into other passions. She's currently studying film and storytelling in the US, with dreams of becoming a filmmaker. 'I want to tell stories like mine. Not just to entertain — but to open hearts and minds.' She's also eyeing the world of fashion, envisioning a brand that blends creativity with purpose. 'If I start a label, proceeds will support refugee causes,' she says. 'Everything I do will always be tied to helping others.' Public speaking, humanitarian work, filmmaking — Yusra is building a legacy beyond athletics. 'My Olympic days may be over,' she says, 'but my mission is lifelong.' A book that left a lasting impression in Yusra's life is The Why Are You Here Café. Her favourite swim stroke is the butterfly, a fitting choice for someone who's spent her life pushing against the current. And when it comes to home, she says, 'Home is Syria, but also anywhere I feel comfortable and happy — where I can thrive in my environment.' Once measured in seconds and medals, success for Yusra now has a new meaning. 'Success is kindness, growth, learning something new, helping someone. It's staying grounded and true to your journey without comparing it to others.' If she could put one message on a billboard seen by the world? 'We are bodies without souls when we leave our dreams behind.'
India Today
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
Fact Check: NOT Israeli woman crying over her destroyed house, this video is from Syria
Parts of Tel Aviv, the capital of Israel, suffered some serious damage from Iranian missiles, which struck several high-rise buildings. A video of a woman crying in the midst of rubble is now going clip featured the Israeli flag, and was shared with captions like: "She is crying because she lost her home. My satisfaction level is..." implying she is an Israeli woman who lost her home amid the military India Today Fact Check, however, found that the video is not from Israel but from Syria. It also predates the present Iran-Israel PROBEListening to the woman in the viral video speak immediately makes it clear that the video is from Syria. She can be heard saying in English, "I am back to my home, my home is in Darayya, the suburbs of Damascus." Damascus is the capital of reverse-searching keyframes from the viral video led us to the original clip, posted by professional Syrian swimmer Yusra Mardini on March 14, three months before the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran began."I'm my home doesn't stand.. I want to share what I feel with you because this is not just about me, this is what many Syrians are going through right pain and trauma. This is the home I grew up in, drew my dreams of becoming the best woman I could be, and even washed dad's car with him in the neighbourhood. Yes, my home is just rubble, but those memories will always give me the strength to move forward," read Mardini's caption, making it obvious that the video is not from Israel but from an NDTV report, Mardini left war-torn Syria in 2015, when she was 17, and went on to compete in the 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games. Another report from Al Arabiya, published on March 28, featured her homecoming after almost a decade. Mardini's return marked a full-circle moment for the 27-year-old, whose dramatic escape from the war was documented in the Netflix film 'The Swimmers'.Thus, it is abundantly clear that a video from Syria was falsely shared as a video from InMust Watch Want to send us something for verification? Please share it on our at 73 7000 7000 You can also send us an email at factcheck@
Gulf Insider
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf Insider
Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses Makes UAE Debut on May 12
Ray-Ban Meta, the smart glasses collection combining traditional eyewear with advanced technology, will be available in the UAE starting May 12 at all Ray-Ban stores and partner opticians. The collection offers users the capability to capture high-resolution photos and videos hands-free, listen to music through open-ear speakers, and access Meta AI for on-the-go assistance. A launch event featured guests including Yusra Mardini, Joelle Mardinian, Omar Farooq, Pia Jauncey, and Nora and Khalid, with music provided by Sarah Hardan and DJ Pascal Moscheni. Ray-Ban, Meta bring AI-powered eyewear to UAE market The celebration marks the beginning of a month-long takeover at Gitano beach club, running until June 5. The glasses include a 12 MP ultra-wide camera that captures photos and 1080p videos in portrait orientation. The open-ear speakers provide enhanced bass response and noise suppression, while five built-in microphones allow users to switch between music and calls without losing awareness of their surroundings. Content creators can utilise the livestreaming function to broadcast their experiences in real time to Instagram Live or Facebook Live for up to 30 minutes, switching between the glasses and phone camera. Meta AI integration enables users to activate features with the voice prompt 'Hey Meta' for various tasks. Users can request information about landmarks, translations, recipe suggestions, and local recommendations using voice commands. 'Live translation is also coming to the UAE later this Spring,' according to the announcement. The translation feature will support conversations across Spanish, French, Italian, and English, even in offline mode if language packs are downloaded in advance. The collection includes the classic Wayfarer and Wayfarer Large frames, along with the Ray-Ban Skyler design in Shiny Chalky Grey. Lens options include prescription, sun, clear, polarised and Transitions® varieties. Prices start at AED 1,330, with each pair coming with a charging case. The glasses work with the Meta AI companion app (available on iOS and Android), which allows users to edit content, add effects, share to social platforms, and manage multiple pairs of glasses from one interface. Regular software updates will be provided to enhance the AI functionality over time, making the glasses 'smarter and more useful,' according to the announcement.
Arabian Business
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Arabian Business
Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses makes UAE debut on May 12
Ray-Ban Meta, the smart glasses collection combining traditional eyewear with advanced technology, will be available in the UAE starting May 12 at all Ray-Ban stores and partner opticians. The collection offers users the capability to capture high-resolution photos and videos hands-free, listen to music through open-ear speakers, and access Meta AI for on-the-go assistance. A launch event featured guests including Yusra Mardini, Joelle Mardinian, Omar Farooq, Pia Jauncey, and Nora and Khalid, with music provided by Sarah Hardan and DJ Pascal Moscheni. Ray-Ban, Meta bring AI-powered eyewear to UAE market The celebration marks the beginning of a month-long takeover at Gitano beach club, running until June 5. The glasses include a 12 MP ultra-wide camera that captures photos and 1080p videos in portrait orientation. The open-ear speakers provide enhanced bass response and noise suppression, while five built-in microphones allow users to switch between music and calls without losing awareness of their surroundings. Content creators can utilise the livestreaming function to broadcast their experiences in real time to Instagram Live or Facebook Live for up to 30 minutes, switching between the glasses and phone camera. Meta AI integration enables users to activate features with the voice prompt 'Hey Meta' for various tasks. Users can request information about landmarks, translations, recipe suggestions, and local recommendations using voice commands. 'Live translation is also coming to the UAE later this Spring,' according to the announcement. The translation feature will support conversations across Spanish, French, Italian, and English, even in offline mode if language packs are downloaded in advance. The collection includes the classic Wayfarer and Wayfarer Large frames, along with the Ray-Ban Skyler design in Shiny Chalky Grey. Lens options include prescription, sun, clear, polarised and Transitions® varieties. Prices start at AED 1,330, with each pair coming with a charging case. The glasses work with the Meta AI companion app (available on iOS and Android), which allows users to edit content, add effects, share to social platforms, and manage multiple pairs of glasses from one interface.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Olympic Swimmer Yusra Mardini on Returning to Syria After 10 Years Away
When her home was destroyed in the Syrian civil war, Yusra Mardini and her family fled, eventually resettling in Germany. During one leg of their journey, a small boat they were traveling on from Lebanon stopped working and Mardini and her sister—both competitive swimmers since they were children—jumped into the water and towed it for more than three hours to make it to Lesbos, Greece. Netflix's 2022 film The Swimmers famously told the story of how the sisters went from Syria to competing at the 2016 and 2020 Summer Olympics as part of the Refugee Olympic Team. They once wondered if they'd never return to Syria. But this past December, the country's brutal Assad regime was toppled by rebel forces after 50 years, and while there is still conflict and many safety risks remain, some Syrians feel ready to return now that the violent dictatorship has ended. Over 13 million Syrians have been displaced in the past 14 years. Since December 8, around 370,000 refugees have returned home to their communities. Many more hope to do the same. In March, Mardini became one of them. Ten years after she left, Mardini returned to Syria, along with her mother. They visited their relatives, saw the remains of their home, and visited with displaced people as part of Mardini's role as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. During her visit, Mardini saw the nation reeling from the ongoing war and the implications of sanctions that the U.S. and other countries have put on Syria. According to UNICEF, more than two million school-aged children are out of school there, and one in three schools cannot be used because they were either destroyed, or damaged, or are being used as shelter. 'The most important thing for people to know about Syria is that this country is in a state of pain. There's a lot of anger. There's a lot of asking, 'Why did the world turn their backs on us?'' she says. 'Syria needs to heal. Syria needs to be protected. We need to build the country with the values that we were taught when we were young. We need to protect each other as Syrians. I want people to understand that the most important thing for Syrians right now is basic human rights. We need those.' It was a mix of emotions. The moment we crossed the border, I was in tears. It made it so much more emotional to have my mother next to me in the car, seeing my grandma after 10 years, seeing my family. It was as if nothing changed, but everything did change. It was like, this is my home, this is my land, but I'm kind of a stranger. My friends took me around and told me about the new places, and about how heavy the sanctions are. It's my country—I felt a little bit disappointed that I didn't know how much they were struggling, even though I'm an advocate, and even though I've been talking about my country for the past 10 years. When I came back from Syria, it was very heavy on me. When I was 17, it was a bit easier. I had swimming to focus my anger at, and I could channel everything into something positive, into my goals. Now I'm 27, and I feel like we get attached a little deeper. We get sad a bit more. We can't move on as quickly as we could when we were young. It was like a brand-new experience that I have to still process. Syrians are so isolated from the world. The regime and the sanctions have made it very difficult for people to have a normal life. They are living to survive. Of course, they have their goals and their ambitions, and they wake up every day with a positive attitude, trying to accomplish things in life. What I noticed is the urgent need for everything. When I say everything, everything. Forty percent of schools in Syria are destroyed; 90 percent of Syrians are on the poverty line. It's still the highest number for refugee crisis in the world—13 million. It's so heartbreaking. Even if you did not seek refuge outside of Syria, you are displaced within the country. A lot of people go back and find their homes destroyed. It's just, in general, very heartbreaking. I always say that I came back with so much anger and sadness, but I'll channel that to do good. I want to be angry at the world. I'm not going to lie to you. I want to scream, but I can actually take that anger and put it into something good. Instead of just words, I can actually think, how can I navigate building schools, building hospitals, working with UNHCR, visiting shelters? How can I use my anger to actually make a difference? That's not easy, but the difference is a lot. Oh, it was not the right time. There's no right time. But I wanted to go back in December—I was not going to wait. I didn't care about security. I didn't care about anything. I am very lucky to have UNHCR. I'm very lucky to have my mother tell me, 'You need to wait. You need to be patient.' It was the right timing because UNHCR is an incredible team that said, 'Okay, we'll navigate this trip because it's very, very important,' even though they're [dealing with] insane budget cuts right now. Not many missions are happening right now, but they understood the importance of me going back home and helping my people. I met with a lot of people, actually. I met with the staff from UNHCR in Damascus. We went to a few community centers in Daraa and Homs, and we went to businesses that are supported by UNHCR. It was honestly very inspiring to me to meet the people and understand that, for small businesses, it's just like they're starting from scratch. They're already displaced, and they are learning how to give back from nothing. They're giving job opportunities to other refugees or other Syrians. They are teaching them how to knit or how to make this product. These women that are employed are supporting their families. It was very inspiring, but I wasn't surprised because I know my people. My grandma would not throw out an old shirt. She would create something out of it. I love that about Syrians. There was one family that we visited, and I met this little girl named Kholoud, wearing her new clothes from aid. Her house was destroyed, but she had the biggest smile on her face. She was so excited. For me, I was like, This is why I do the work that I do, because I want to be someone that inspires her. I want her to look up at me and say, 'Look, Yusra made it. So can I.' Is it heartbreaking? Do I want to take them all and put them in a better location, give them all the rights that they're supposed to have? One hundred percent. I wish I was a superwoman, but I'm not. This is not the only trip that I'm going to make to Syria. My goal is to be someone that is able to build schools, to build hospitals, to be able to support refugees worldwide, not just in Syria. I truly believe I can. It's still heavy. I expected it to be destroyed, but not completely on the ground. [But it was.] I don't know what happened. The neighbors told us that the building stood until seven months ago, so maybe it was dangerous to keep it standing? I have no idea what happened. My mom was like, 'This is the building.' I was like, 'No.' She was like, 'We just saw your uncle's house. This is our building.' I was like, 'No.' It was really, really devastating. I shared the video online because I know that I have a responsibility. I know that I have the power, and I know that my voice would reach people. It's gotten 21 million views right now. A lot of people are commenting on things that I fought for: 'Oh, but her nails are pretty, her hair is pretty, her outfit is fine. What is she crying about?' We put refugees in a box—we have to look a certain way, we have to speak a certain way. How dare we speak English, and how could we look pretty and clean? But I knew that very few people can share a video like that. Who wants to stand in front of their destroyed home and show the world? I don't think anyone wants that. Swimming taught me a lot. From a very young age, I learned how to separate between my professional life and my personal life. My father always told me, 'When you're in the pool, you're focusing on your goals, and everything else outside of the pool can wait.' It taught me how to do that in life, with or without sports. Swimming also taught me patience. I am not going to get to where I want by doing ordinary things, but I have to do ordinary things for a very long time in order to do extraordinary things. I have to do boring workouts. I have to do boring hours in the pool for me to get to the level that I want. It taught me how to deal with disappointment, and it taught me how to try again. This interview has been edited and condensed for Might Also Like The 15 Best Organic And Clean Shampoos For Any And All Hair Types 100 Gifts That Are $50 Or Under (And Look Way More Expensive Than They Actually Are)
