JORDAN / JACQUES ROGGE

The UN Special Envoy for Youth Refugees and Sport and former head of the International Olympic Committee Jacques Rogge visited the Azraq refugee camp and met Syrian refugees to raise awareness of the condition of youth refugees and the positive impact of sport on their wellbeing. Over half of the population of Azraq camp are children. UNHCR

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:40
• Production Date: 29 October 2014
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES - UNHCR
• Subject Topical: HUMANITARIAN RELIEF; REFUGEES; DISPLACED PERSONS
• Geographic Subject: JORDAN; SYRIA
• MAMS Id: 1225376

Description

STORY: JORDAN / JACQUES ROGGE
TRT: 2.40
SOURCE: UNHCR
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / ARABIC / NATS
DATELINE: 29 OCTOBER 2014, AZRAQ REFUGEE CAMP, JORDAN

Shotlist

29 OCTOBER 2014, AZRAQ REFUGEE CAMP, JORDAN

1. Wide shot, Azraq refugee camp
2. Wide shot, pan right, Jacques Rogge, UN Special Envoy for Youth Refugees and Sport, arriving
3. Various shots, refugees playing table tennis
4. Med shot, pan left, Jacques Rogge entering the hall
5. Close up, photographers
6. Various shots, group photo
7. Various shots, Rogge playing table tennis with a refugee boy
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Jaques Rogge, UN Special Envoy for Youth Refugees and Sport:
“The population of the camp is a very young one. It gives us a bigger responsibility. Sport is ideal for young people, it will improve their health, but also their psychological welfare. And that’s why we came here to develop sport together with the NGOs. And definitely also for the purpose of serving the children.”
9. Various shots, refugees playing football
10. Close up, Rogge watching the game
11. Wide shot, pan left of the game
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Jaques Rogge, UN Special Envoy for Youth Refugees and Sport:
“Sport is needed for the entire population, not just for the refugee camps, but the need is bigger here. Because of the idleness they have, because of the quite harsh conditions in which they grow up. So we believe that sport has a big role to play.”
13. Wide shot, refugee boy Ahmed Hamadi kicking the ball
14. Wide shot, game
15. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ahmed Hamadi, Syrian refugee boy:
“Back in my country I used to play in the Al-Faisal Team. I felt that the football pitch was my own home, I loved it that much!”
16. Various shots, football game
17. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ahmed Hamadi, Syrian refugee boy:
“It is hard to explain why I love to play so much, but I’m sure football can help you stand out from the crowd.”
18. SOUNDBITE (English) Jaques Rogge, UN Special Envoy for Youth Refugees and Sport:
“I believe that sport brings a lot for these young people. It strengthens their body, but also their mind. It teaches them to respect the rules, it integrates then into the mainstream society, it brings health, and it brings hope.”
19. Wide shot, refugee boys are silhouetted while playing football in the camp

Storyline

The UN Special Envoy for Youth Refugees and Sport and former head of the International Olympic Committee Jacques Rogge visited the Azraq refugee camp.

Rogge, who was appointed special envoy in April, toured the camp and met Syrian refugees to raise awareness of the condition of youth refugees and the positive impact of sport on their wellbeing.

More than half of Azraq camp’s population are children.

During his visit to the camp, the special envoy said “the population of the camp is a very young one. It gives us a bigger responsibility. Sport is ideal for young people, it will improve their health, but also their psychological welfare. And that’s why we came here to develop sport together with the NGOs, and definitely also for the purpose of serving the children.”

The camp is run by the Jordanian authorities with the support of UNHCR and its humanitarian partners.

Rogge also said “sport is needed for the entire population, not just for the refugee camps, but the need is bigger here. Because of the idleness they have, because of the quite harsh conditions in which they grow up. So we believe that sport has a big role to play.”
He added “I believe that sport brings a lot for these young people. It strengthens their body, but also their mind. It teaches them to respect the rules, it integrates then into the mainstream society, it brings health, and it brings hope.”

Ahmed Hamadi is 15 years old, and has been playing football since the age of three. He is a refugee from Homs. Like other youngsters here, he fled his homeland to escape the violence and terror.

He said “back in my country I used to play in the Al-Faisal Team. I felt that the football pitch was my own home, I loved it that much!”

Ahmed also said “it is hard to explain why I love to play so much, but I’m sure football can help you stand out from the crowd.”

Football is one of the most popular sports here, but there’s huge demand for other sports too.
Volleyball, basketball, field hockey and handball facilities will be built with funding from the International Olympic Committee.

The UNHCR complex will be managed by CARE International, who will provide specialized coaching and instruction.

The government took the decision to open Azraq as Jordan’s second refugee camp to help relieve pressure on the Zaatari camp some 80 kilometers to the northwest. Idleness is one of the biggest problem for most of the refugees who arrive to Jordan traumatized by the war in Syria. Sport activities are one the best option to heal their psychological wounds.