On Lesbos, we support the Yoga and Sport with Refugees (YSR) swimming program. Together, we offer refugees the opportunity to learn to swim and overcome their fear of water. Many of the participants have fled across the Mediterranean to Europe and have had traumatic experiences with water. The program helps them to reconcile with the sea and learn a vital skill. The swimming courses take place in the Mediterranean Sea off Mytilini and are led by experienced coaches. By swimming, the participants not only improve their physical health, but also their self-confidence and social integration. The program promotes intercultural exchange and creates a supportive environment in which participants feel safe and welcome. We support YSR with the implementation and financial resources. Our Board Member Sven Spannekrebs has contributed his experience as a swimming coach on site as a voluntary helper and supported the project with further coaching of coaches and with the training sessions for weeks.
The Yusra Mardini Foundation supports the Welcome 66 swimming project in Perpignan. This project provides displaced people with swimming courses led by experienced coaches. In summer, the courses take place in the Mediterranean and in winter they are held in an indoor swimming pool. The swimming courses not only provide the participants with valuable life skills, but also boost their self-confidence and their physical and mental health. Training together creates social bonds and a sense of community, which makes integration easier. Swimming also provides a welcome distraction from the often difficult everyday life and promotes mental well-being. Our financial and strategic support of Welcome 66 helps to implement this program as well as other initiatives such as language courses, sports and cultural activities and vocational training. Our strategic partnership with Welcome 66 aims to bring about sustainable change through sport and education. The project is promoted together with our partner Oris to create hope and opportunities and shape a better future. Partners: WELCOME 66 Welcome 66 is a non-profit organization based in Perpignan that is dedicated to the social integration and professional integration of unaccompanied minors, asylum seekers and refugees. Through a variety of programs, including language courses, sporting and cultural activities and vocational training, Welcome 66 helps participants to find their feet in their new environment and lead a self-determined life. The organization promotes intercultural exchange and creates a supportive environment that strengthens social cohesion ORIS Oris is a renowned Swiss watch brand that is characterized by its commitment to sustainability and social responsibility. As a climate-neutral company, Oris supports numerous charitable initiatives worldwide. In 2023, Yusra Mardini was appointed Oris Ambassador and together with the Yusra Mardini Foundation, we are working to make a positive difference. Our strategic partnership with Oris aims to create hope and opportunity through joint projects such as the swimming project in Perpignan. Oris shares our vision of a better future and supports us in achieving sustainable change through sport and education.