The Wheel and Axle

Resilience

by on Aug.15, 2016, under Society

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Credits: Reuters/David Gray

Did you know that there is a Refugee Olympic Team in Rio this year?

That’s right.

From a pool of 43 candidates, the IOC selected ten athletes (five from South Sudan, two from Congo, two from Syria, and one from Ethiopia) to compete under the Olympic flag with country code Refugee Olympic Team.

This move is a welcome one, for it shines another light upon the refugee crisis we are experiencing worldwide. Many of these refugees – already fleeing harsh conditions from their own countries – end up being the target of xenophobia in their host nations. Under such circumstances, many would lose hope.

Thus, creating a refugee team for the Olympics creates a beacon of inspiration and solidarity. It speaks volumes about a human spirit that forges on with its dreams and aspirations amidst adversity.

As of this writing, none of the ten have won any awards. But so what? They already won when they decided to face and be part of a world that often refuses to take them in.

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