A two-time Olympic competitor, Yusra Mardini is the founder of the Yusra Mardini Foundation and a Goodwill Ambassador for UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency.

Yusra grew up in Damascus, where swimming was an important part of her life. When she was forced to flee Syria in 2015, her journey eventually took her to Germany. There, she resumed training and continued pursuing a lifelong dream: competing in the Olympic Games.

A year later, Yusra was selected for the first-ever Refugee Olympic Team and competed at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. She went on to represent the Refugee Olympic Team for a second time at Tokyo 2020.

Her journey from Syria to the Olympic stage inspired the Netflix film The Swimmers, which tells her story and brought her experiences to a global audience.

Today, Yusra continues to use sport as a means of creating opportunities for others. Through her foundation, she supports access to sports and education for refugees and underserved communities. As a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador, she has also become an international voice for people forced to flee their homes, speaking at forums such as the United Nations Security Council.Swimmer, Activist, and Leading Advocate for Refugee Rights