An Iraqi Boy Fleeing Conflict Is Inspired by Rio's Refugee Athletes

As UNHCR launches its own film today focusing on the 10 strong team of refugees competing at the Olympics, the #TeamRefugee movement has created a touching film that shows how the Olympians are already inspiring others.

Created by agency Purpose and directorial duo Lefty at Unit9, focuses on a young Iraqi refugee boxer named Abdullah whose family was forced to flee his country after he was kidnapped and his life threatened. They went first to Turkey by boat, then to Greece before finally making their way to Berlin where they stayed in a camp for months before finding more permanent residence there. The film captures how Abdullah has been inspired by the Olympic refugee team to get even better at his sport in Germany.

The film will appear at the #TeamRefugees website and will also run on social media including Facebook,Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat at @TeamRefugees. The #TeamRefugees movement is an initiative led by UNICEF and other partners, including UNHCR, Save the Children, International Rescue Committee, the ONE campaign, TheirWorld and World Vision, to test a new collaborative approach to more effectively create positive change for children. It's part of a wider offline movement called Article 26, which was the client behind this film.