UN's Refugee Agency (UNHCR) announced on Thursday the appointment of Syrian refugee and Olympic athlete Yusra Mardini as a Goodwill Ambassador.
Welcoming Mardini’s appointment, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said that Mardini "represents the hopes, the fears and the incredible potential of the more than ten million young refugees around the globe.”
In their statement, the UNHCR also said that Mardini “has become a powerful voice for the forcibly displaced across the world and a powerful example of their resilience and determination to rebuild lives and positively contribute to host communities."
In her new role, the 19 year old will help raise awareness about the plight of refugees. Speaking to reporters in Geneva, Mardini expressed her excitement at the news.
“I am thrilled to join the UNHCR family and eager to continue spreading the message that refugees are just normal people living through traumatic and devastating circumstances, who are capable of extraordinary things if only given a chance," she said.
Mardini first made headlines after her heroic life-saving swim off the Turkish coast.
In 2015, like millions of others, Mardini fled war-torn Syria on a tiny boat packed with people via the Mediterranean. During the perilous journey to the Greek island of Lesbos, the engine failed and the boat began to capsize.
Mardini and her sister then jumped into the sea and towed the jam-packed boat to safety after swimming for three hours.
The Olympic athlete has since settled in Germany with her family. She is currently completing her studies and continues to train as a swimmer.
In 2016, Mardini took part in the first ever Olympic refugee team at the Rio de Janeiro games.
