MEDIA

Exclusive video project by Peoplegrapher

PHOENIX

Sohaila, Zahra and Zeinab train every day.
Their dream is to become professional fighters and to show the world that all people are equal.
We spent a week in and around the Malakasa refugee camp outside Athens getting to know these inspirational young Afghan women, documenting their gruelling commitment to fitness and their raging passion for equality.
starring: @sohailashojayie , @miss_ghazal242 @zeinab_a_s_ and @shojayie_bahar
production: @peoplegrapher
director: Lukas Tielke
dop: Lukas Tielke
additional camera: @nnloenn
photographer: @stevemarais
analog photographer: @drphilrom
editor: @marvin.kuehner
colorist: @kingofcurtis / @glassworksvfx
music, sound design & mix: @staubaudio @moritz.staub & @karinpallier
graphic design: @george_popovv
NGO: @yogasportwithrefugees

MEDIA ARTICLES

2023

YOGA magazine – “The Life of a Refugee – Can Yoga Really Make A Difference?”

2022

Trifugee (English) – “Building bridges with Sports” – Interview mit Nina von YSR (Interview with Nina from YSR)

FC St. Pauli (English) – Boxen auf Lesbos mit Refugees

France Info:Sport (Français) – Paris 2024: Depuis le camp de Lesbos, Mahmood Alizada, réfugié afghan, court après son rêve olympique.
(Paris 2024: From the camp on Lesvos, Mahmood Alizada, Afghan refugee, runs after his Olympic dream)

Info:Sport (Français) – Paris 2024: “En France, tout ce que je veux c’est continuer de courir”, rêve Mahmood Alizada, réfugié afghan (Paris 2024: “In France, all I want it’s to continue running”, dreams Mahmood Alizada, Afghan refugee)

The New Humanitarian (English) – How sports help refugees survive harsh conditions in Greece

Barriers to Bridges Magazine (English) – Removing barriers of marginalisation, building bridges to empower communities (Part 1)

Barriers to Bridges Magazine (English) – Borders and Bodybuilding: Insights into life as a refugee in Europe (Part 2)

2021

InfoMigrants (Video) – Migrants and refugees stranded in Greece find solace in yoga and sport

Berlin Braves (English) – Introducing Suss and Estelle

InfoMigrants (English) – The NGO Yoga and Sport with Refugees helps migrants in Lesbos and Athens cope with their harsh living conditions

El Pais (Français) – Entrenar cuerpo y mente para sobrevivir a Lesbos

El Pais (Français) – El poder liberador del deporte y el yoga para los refugiados en Grecia

La Veu (Français) – L’Ajuntament aprova una subvenció extraordinària per a dos projectes humanitaris a Lesbos

Sud Ouest (Français) – Sur l’île de Lesbos, une Girondine fait bouger les migrants

De Volkskrant (Nederlands) – In de Vluchtelingensportschool op Lesbos geeft niemand op

Nederlands Dagblad (Nederlands) – Rennen, boksen, kungfu: sporten om te overleven buiten Moria 2.0

Sontag (Deutsche) – Yoga und Sport mit Flüchtlingen

Spiegel (Deutsche) – Sport machen, um nicht verrückt zu werden

2020

SportandDev (English) – Europe: Sport and exercise for refugees in Greece

Slate (English) – The looming refugee Coronavirus disaster

Emil Mavrofidis (Video) – Yoga and Sport for Refugees | Running Team.

2016

Vice (English) – Helping refugees battle boredom with yoga, circus tricks, and storytelling

ACADEMIC PUBLICATIONS

Kimberly Ann Gerken

2021 – Master of Arts thesis, University of Oregon

Breaking Down the Walls: Fostering Opportunity and Dignity Amongst Refugee Women and Girls Through Sport

Nina Nymeyer

2020-21 – Master of Research thesis, Macquarie University

Wild Yoga: Refugee Communities Transforming Self and Surroundings Through Movement

Priya Nair

2021/22 – Master of International Development thesis, Paris School of International Affairs

Life in a Hotspot: Examining Refugees’ Resilience and Coping Processes amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic

VIDEOGRAPHY

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Meet Mina, who was a fitness coach in our Athens team! We miss you Mina and your kindness and motivation will always stay with us #strongertogether This March we challenge you to stand in solidarity with women and to bring a sister to the gym, show her your sport and #liftherup by empowering her because: SHE CAN! We can only achieve #genderequity with a dialogue on both sides of the spectrum - so let’s get moving and become #strongertogether. Help us improve #genderequity by donating - Donate and support our sisters here: https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/sister-month/ Γνωρίστε τη Μίνα, η οποία ήταν προπονήτρια φυσικής κατάστασης στην ομάδα μας στην Αθήνα! Μας λείπεις Μίνα και η καλοσύνη και το κίνητρό σου θα μείνουν πάντα μαζί μας #strongertogether Αυτόν τον Μάρτιο σας προκαλούμε να σταθείτε αλληλέγγυα με τις γυναίκες και να φέρετε μια αδερφή στο γυμναστήριο, να της δείξετε το άθλημά σας και το #liftherup ενδυναμώνοντάς την γιατί: ΜΠΟΡΕΙ! Μπορούμε να πετύχουμε #ισότητα των φύλων μόνο με έναν διάλογο και στις δύο πλευρές του φάσματος - ας κινηθούμε λοιπόν και ας γίνουμε #δυνατότεροι μαζί. Βοηθήστε μας να βελτιώσουμε το #genderequity κάνοντας δωρεές - ΣΥΝΔΕΣΜΟΣ ΣΤΟ BIO #internationalwomensday #genderequality #womensrights #womencan #womenempowerment #whorunsthewolrd #girlsruntheworld #women #liftherup #equity #strongertogether #yogaandsportwithrefugees #leavenoonebehind #nomorecamps #nohumanisillegal #humanrights #gym #yoga #sport
Meet Mina - Yoga and Sport with Refugees Athens - #liftherup
Meet Parinaz who empowers her community by teaching Yoga and Dance in Ioannina.<br /><br />This March we challenge you to stand in solidarity with women and to bring a sister to the gym, show her your sport and #liftherup by empowering her because: SHE CAN!<br /><br />We can only achieve #genderequity with a dialogue on both sides of the spectrum - so let’s get moving and become #strongertogether. Help us improve #genderequity <br /><br />Donate and support our sisters here: https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/sister-month/<br /><br />#internationalwomensday #genderequality #womensrights #womencan #womenempowerment #whorunsthewolrd #girlsruntheworld #women #liftherup #equity #strongertogether #yogaandsportwithrefugees #leavenoonebehind #nomorecamps #nohumanisillegal #humanrights #gym #yoga #sport
Meet Parinaz - Yoga and Sport with Refugees Ioannina - #liftherup
Meet Medine our young, fierce and inspiring Taekwondo coach in Athens!!<br /><br />This March we challenge you to stand in solidarity with women and to bring a sister to the gym, show her your sport and #liftherup by empowering her because: SHE CAN!<br /><br />We can only achieve #genderequity with a dialogue on both sides of the spectrum - so let’s get moving and become #strongertogether<br /><br />Donate and support our sisters here: https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/sister-month/<br /><br />#internationalwomensday #genderequality #womensrights #womencan #womenempowerment #whorunsthewolrd #girlsruntheworld #women #liftherup #equity #strongertogether #yogaandsportwithrefugees #leavenoonebehind #nomorecamps #nohumanisillegal #humanrights #gym #yoga #sport
Meet Medine - Yoga and Sport with Refugees Athens - #liftherup
Meet strong Ruvi who empowers her community by teaching body building to women in Athens. This March we challenge you to stand in solidarity with women and to bring a sister to the gym, show her your sport and #liftherup by empowering her because: SHE CAN! We can only achieve #genderequity with a dialogue on both sides of the spectrum - so let’s get moving and become #strongertogether. Help us improve #genderequity by donating here https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/sister-month/
Meet Ruvi - Yoga and Sport with Refugees Athens - #liftherup
Today is International Women’s Rights Day! In order to celebrate righteously we planned events in our locations and will set a highlight on the amazing - strong - powerful and inspiring women in our community for one full week of girl power. <br /><br /><br /><br />Take a moment and check out our creative dancer Kamand who volunteers in Athens .<br /><br /><br />This month - we challenge you to stand in solidarity with women around the world and to bring a sister to the gym, inspire her by showing her your sport and helping her unleash her inner power! #liftherup<br /><br /><br />Because we can only achieve equality with a dialogue on both sides of the spectrum - we are always #strongertogether<br /><br /><br />Donate and support our sisters here: https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/sister-month/<br /><br /><br />#internationalwomensday #genderequality #womensrights #womencan #womenempowerment #whorunsthewolrd #girlsruntheworld #women #liftherup #equity #strongertogether #yogaandsportwithrefugees #leavenoonebehind #nomorecamps #nohumanisillegal #humanrights #gym #yoga #sport
Meet Kamand - Yoga and Sporth with Refugees Athens - #liftherup
Meet Laila, our fantastic and fierce dance teacher on Lesvos. We challenge you to stand in solidarity with women and to bring a sister to the gym, show her your sport and #liftherup by empowering her because: SHE CAN! We can only achieve #genderequity with a dialogue on both sides of the spectrum - so let’s get moving and become #strongertogether Donate and support our sisters here: https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/sister-month/ #internationalwomensday #genderequality #womensrights #womencan #womenempowerment #whorunsthewolrd #girlsruntheworld #women #liftherup #equity #strongertogether #yogaandsportwithrefugees #leavenoonebehind #nomorecamps #nohumanisillegal #humanrights #gym #yoga #sport
Meet Laila - Yoga and Sporth with Refugees Lesvos - #liftherup
Rozalia is our calm, strong and multi-talented yoga teacher in our Athens project! She is a greek power woman with a background in dance <br /><br />This March we challenge you to stand in solidarity with women and to bring a sister to the gym, show her your sport and #liftherup by empowering her because: SHE CAN!<br /><br />We can only achieve #genderequity with a dialogue on both sides of the spectrum - so let’s get moving and become #strongertogether<br /><br />Donate and support our sisters here: https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/sister-month/<br /><br />#internationalwomensday #genderequality #womensrights #womencan #womenempowerment #whorunsthewolrd #girlsruntheworld #women #liftherup #equity #strongertogether #yogaandsportwithrefugees #leavenoonebehind #nomorecamps #nohumanisillegal #humanrights #gym #yoga #sport
Meet Rozalia - Yoga and Sporth with Refugees Athens - #liftherup
⚡️Teaser ⚡<br />Do you know strong, powerful, resilient, determined and impressive women? <br /><br />You do? So do we! That’s why we are planning to set a focus on women in our community ! Stay tuned for a month full of activities, powerful and extraordinary women and of mutual understanding and support. <br /><br />🔜Starting on the international day for women's rights, 8th of March<br />📣Amazing women to be celebrated <br />🔥Be ready, Sister Month is coming 🔥#liftherup !<br /><br />#internationalwomensday #genderequality #womensrights #womencan #womenempowerment #whorunsthewolrd #girlsrunthewworld #women #liftherup #equity #strongertogether #yogaandsportwithrefugees #leavenoonebehond #nomorecamps #nohumaniright #sport
LIFT HER UP - Sister Month in Yoga and Sport with Refugees
Part two of what it's like to join our hiphop classes in Athens!
Hiphop with Chris Part 2 | Learn about our classes YSR
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