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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)
Egypt Today
14-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Egypt Today
Aswan International Women Film Festival to Honor Kinda Alloush
Kinda Alloush. The Aswan International Women Film Festival is set to honor acclaimed actress Kinda Alloush at the opening of its ninth edition, running from May 2 to 7. This year, the festival pays tribute to the iconic Umm Kulthum, celebrating Egyptian and Arab female creativity as the world commemorates 50 years since her passing. The festival organizers stated that Kinda Alloush is being recognized for her remarkable talent and outstanding film career, which includes significant collaborations with acclaimed directors across generations in both Syrian and Egyptian cinema. Throughout her journey, Alloush has powerfully portrayed diverse female characters, bringing to life the hopes, struggles, and dreams of women. In recent years, Kinda Alloush has shined on the global stage, starring in internationally acclaimed films directed by renowned female filmmakers. These include The Swimmers by Sally El Hosaini, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and screened at both the London and Cairo film festivals; Nezouh by Soudade Kaadan, which won the Audience Award at the Venice Film Festival; and The Yellow Bus by Wendy Bednarz, showcased at TIFF alongside a cast of leading Indian actors. Alloush's distinguished cinematic career began with the late director Hatem Ali in the short film Passion, and she went on to star in notable Syrian films such as The Last Night of Ghilan of Damascus with Haitham Hakki, The Strangers with Abbas Rafei, and Once Again with Joud Said. She also headlined the Syrian-Lebanese production 23 Days directed by Jamal Shourjeh. Her Egyptian cinema debut came with renowned director Sherif Arafa in Welad El-Am, followed by standout roles in films like One True Love, Hepta by Hadi El Bagoury, The Vagabond by Essam El Shamaa, Partita by Sherif Mandour, Excuse My French by Amr Salama, The Deal by Sandra Nashaat, Cairo Time by Amir Ramses, and The Originals by Marwan Hamed. Beyond the silver screen, Kinda Alloush has left a lasting mark on television, starring in major Egyptian and Syrian series such as Sultan Beibars, The Invasion, Born from the Flank, People of Cairo, Del'aa Banat, Countdown, Friendly Fire, The Covenant, The Wedding Song, Moonlight, The Wives of Beit El-Maadi, and recently, the Ramadan hit My Sisters. Alloush has also served on juries for numerous prestigious film festivals, including multiple editions of the Cairo International Film Festival, El Gouna Film Festival, Tropfest Arabia, Luxor African Film Festival, Alexandria Short Film Festival, and Cairo Short Film Festival. The ninth edition of the Aswan International Women's Film Festival is held under the patronage of Egypt's Ministries of Culture, Tourism, and Social Solidarity, along with the Egyptian Tourism Authority, EgyptAir, the National Council for Women, the Syndicate of Cinematic Professions, Aswan Governorate, and Aswan University.
Al Arabiya
28-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Al Arabiya
Exclusive ‘I left as a child': Yusra Mardini returns to Syria after a decade of fleeing war
Olympic swimmer and UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Yusra Mardini has spent the last decade turning trauma into purpose. Now, for the first time since fleeing Syria at 17, she's returned home to help rebuild her country. 'It was very emotional for me,' Mardini said in an exclusive interview on Al Arabiya News. 'I was in complete denial. It felt like I was dreaming… I saw the sign, 'Welcome to Syria,' and immediately started crying. My mom was sitting next to me…it was also her first time back in 10 years.' Watch the full interview here. Mardini's return marked a full-circle moment for the 27-year-old whose dramatic escape from war was documented in the Netflix film The Swimmers. The movie chronicled how she and her sister fled Damascus, swimming for their lives across the Aegean Sea. But her latest visit marked a new part of her journey. 'I left Syria a child,' she said. 'I didn't understand politics. I just knew I had to run. Now, I went back intentionally, to help, to rebuild.' The trip was part of a UNHCR mission aimed at shedding light on the world's largest displacement crisis. Over 30 million Syrians have been displaced since the war began. 'I have a home in Germany. I have a Plan B,' Mardini said. 'But other people don't. That's why it's my duty to go back as a Goodwill Ambassador.' Despite the overwhelming scenes of destruction, Mardini's visit had some positive personal moments like reuniting with her maternal grandmother after 10 years and she visited her old swimming pool – the same one where a missile once landed while she was training. 'It's hard to put into words. That pool is where my story began as a swimmer,' she told Al Arabiya News. 'People ask about the missile scene [from the film] – yes, it happened. But it happened every day. At the pool, at school, on the streets. This isn't just my story – it's the story of millions of Syrians.' One moment, in particular, resonated with her during her recent visit: meeting a young girl named Kholoud. 'Her home was destroyed. She was wearing her Eid clothes. And she gave me the biggest smile. That's what I've learned from refugees, no matter how dark it gets, there's always light.' Mardini has made it her life's work to be that light. In addition to working with the UN, she launched the Yusra Mardini Foundation to support refugees through access to education and sports. During the interview, she explained that the foundation's mission is inspired by her parents: Her father, a swimming coach; her mother, a teacher. 'I want to give them the opportunity to dream,' she said. 'Whether they want to be a doctor, an athlete, or a therapist – how can we help them get there?' While she's already working on several projects to support refugees from all different backgrounds, her heart remains attached to Syria. 'My dream is to build schools and hospitals back home,' she said. 'To help my people heal.' Asked if she sees herself ever returning to Syria permanently, Mardini was both hopeful and grounded. 'Syria is my home. Germany is my new home. You can have multiple homes. I'd love to go back and open a swimming academy one day, but right now, my role is to think of others before myself.'
Al Arabiya
14-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Al Arabiya
Syrian swimmer Yusra Mardini who inspired Netflix film returns to Syria after 10 years
Olympic swimmer and Syrian refugee Yusra Mardini, whose story inspired the 2022 Netflix film The Swimmers, returned to Syria ten years after she fled the civil war to Europe. While crossing the Aegean Sea from Turkey to Greece in 2015, she not only survived but along with her sister heroically saved the lives of everyone onboard her dinghy. In the middle of the tumultuous journey, the boat's engine gave in. The two sisters jumped into the water and swam beside the boat for several hours, navigating it to safety. After having found refuge in Germany, Mardini went on to compete as a member of the first-ever Refugee Olympic Team at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and then again at the games in Tokyo. She had not been to Syria since. 'I can't believe this moment is real. After 10 years, I'm back at the pool where it all began, the place where I dreamed of competing at the Olympics, where I fell in love with swimming, and where so much of my journey started,' she said Thursday on Instagram. In 2017 at the age of 19, Mardini was appointed the youngest-ever Goodwill Ambassador for UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. 'So much has changed, yet it still feels like home. I never knew if I'd ever see this place again, and now, standing on this pool deck, I'm overwhelmed with emotions, gratitude, nostalgia, and pure joy. This pool shaped me, and today I get to be here again…I'm home,' she added. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Yusra Mardini (@yusramardini) The inspiring 27-year-old has penned her memoir Butterfly: From Refugee to Olympian – My Story of Rescue, Hope and Triumph. She also launched The Yusra Mardini Foundation, a non-profit organization working toward providing access to sports and education to refugees. In December last year, an opposition coalition in Syria ousted then-president Bashar al-Assad in a lightening offensive, ending an authoritarian regime, which started with his father in 1971. Earlier this year, Ahmed al-Sharaa, then the leader of the opposition group which led al-Assad's overthrow, was appointed president. Syrians everywhere largely welcomed the toppling of al-Assad, emphasizing the need to be cautiously optimistic about the new government.
