On Tuesday, the IOC introduced that boxer Ms. Ngamba and taekwondo athlete Mr. Al-Ghotany would put on the IOC flag on behalf of the Olympic team of the committee through the opening ceremony.
“Boxer Cindy and taekwondo athlete Yahya will carry the (IOC) flag, It doesn’t signify a nation, however over 120 million forcibly displaced folks all over the world.,” UNHCR he mentioned in a web-based assertion.
Representing refugees
Ms Ngamba was born in Cameroon and moved to the UK when she was 11, whereas Mr Al-Ghotany left Syria together with his household as a toddler after the warfare broke out.
Both athletes acquired refugee scholarships funded by the IOC’s Olympic Solidarity Initiative and mentioned they had been proud to signify refugees all over the world.
“It’s an honor for me to signify this particular group and carry the flag for hundreds of thousands of us all over the world,” Ms. Ngamba mentioned. “My best hope is that at this yr’s Olympics, we will make folks arise and listen. Show them what refugees are able to, as a result of now we have huge ambitions.”
Sharing related sentiments, Mr Al-Ghotany mentioned: “At the opening ceremony, I’ll consider everybody who has helped me on my journey: my associates, my household, but in addition the greater than 100 million folks all over the world who, similar to me, have needed to flee their houses. I signify all of them.”
UNHCR mentioned that the participation of refugees within the Olympic Games demonstrates their resilience and excellence, serving as a logo of hope and inclusion.
Olympic Award
At the official IOC session on Tuesday it was additionally introduced that UNHCR High Commissioner Filippo Grandi, will become the third recipient of the Olympic laurel – an award created to “honor excellent people for his or her achievements in training, tradition, improvement and peace by way of sport.”
IOC President Thomas Bach mentioned the UNHCR chief “has supported in an unprecedented approach the essential position that sport can play within the inclusion, belonging and bodily and psychological well-being of refugees”.
She burdened that, following the announcement of the IOC Refugee Olympic Team for the 2016 Rio Games on the UN General Assembly, she referred to as for the help of Mr Grandi as the subsequent UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
She mentioned Mr Grandi enthusiastically supported the initiative and later joined the Olympic Refuge Foundation Board of Directors as Vice President in 2017.
“I’m proud to obtain this award on behalf of my colleagues at UNHCR and the hundreds of thousands of individuals all over the world who’ve been compelled to flee their houses,” mentioned Grandi.
The High Commissioner will obtain the award through the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games on Friday.
Let the Games start…
On Friday, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres will journey to Paris for the Olympics.
In a video message welcoming the Games, launched on Tuesday, the Secretary-General celebrated the facility of sport and its means to unite folks and produce hope.
His encouragement to folks within the “spirit of the Olympic Truce” is to construct bridges and promote solidarity “and struggle for the last word aim: peace for all.”
During his journey to Paris, Mr Guterres will meet with IOC President Bach and maintain bilateral conferences.
