Rise Above

Rise Above is an illustrated book that tells the stories of refugees in sports. The objective is to promote equality, sport-based education, and refugee empowerment. This picture book will carry a message of unity, peace, triumph and hope. Through it, refugee young people will have concrete examples of others from similar circumstances who have overcome extreme obstacles and gone on to thrive. They will know that they too, can rise above the label of “refugee.”

Written by Ghina Chahwan and Illustrated by Christel Saneh, both IOC Young Leaders.

Growing up With Green Coffee and Coco Beans

How often have you heard someone say: “My parents want me to become a doctor or an engineer”? Only few people dare to challenge societal “norms” and walk the path less traveled. 

Café Younes, founded in 1935, is the oldest coffee shop in Lebanon.  If you are a regular customer, you must have exchanged at least a few words with Ahmed, a skinny young man with curly brown hair, who wears eye glasses. You can tell that he is always smiling even behind the mask. 

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Ma La7azto Chi?

Did you notice anything?
That on my face there is nothing?
Sometimes I laugh, sometimes I cry
But its my eyes that tell everything...

ما لحظتو شي؟
إنو على وجهي ما في شي؟
إيام بضحق و إيام ببكي
بس هني عيوني لي بيحكي كل شي...

Vous n'avez rien remarqué?
Qu'il n'y a rien sur mon visage?
Des fois je ris, des fois je pleures
Mais c'est mes yeux qui disent tout...