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Meet Members of the IOC Refugee Olympic Team With These Airbnb Online Experiences

Redefining Resilience with Yusra Mardini
Redefining Resilience with Yusra Mardini

Courtesy of Airbnb

Now you can experience the Olympics way beyond just watching your team go for the gold.

Airbnb partnered with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to give fans the best Olympics Online Experience right in their own homes. This collection of nine Online Experiences gives refugee athletes a chance to connect with fans all over the world, while also earning money to support their passions. Hosts include Olympic swimmer Yusra Mardini; Chef de Mission of the IOC Refugee Olympic Team, Tegla Loroupe; Para swimmer Ibrahim Al-Hussein, and the Refugee Paralympic Team.

"I'm really looking forward to hosting my experience on Airbnb so I can share with the world my personal story of becoming an Olympian and the unique aspects of being a refugee. It's so important for platforms to create opportunities for us to share our stories — in our own voice — and help increase understanding of refugees around the world," said Yusra Mardini, IOC Refugee Olympic Team member, in a statement.

Topics for these online experiences include a live event with Tegla Loroupe about refugee athletes; a discussion on the power of resilience and mindfulness with Yusra Mardini; an in-depth conversation with the Refugee Paralympic Team led by Ileana Rodriguez; a discussion with Alia Issa, the first woman in history to compete on the Refugee Paralympic Team; a talk about the power of positivity with Paralympic swimmer Ibrahim Al-Hussein; and a self-defense and meditation workshop with IOC Refugee Athlete Scholarship holder, Asif Sultani.

"We are thrilled to provide a way for refugee athletes to share their journeys and connect with people all over the world through these one-of-a-kind Online Experiences. We hope the intimate and authentic moments with these incredible athletes will help others find motivation, inspiration and courage during challenging times," said Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia.

Experiences vary in price and are sometimes held at specific times, depending on which experience you are interested in. For more information on the 200 Olympics-centered events (including the nine refugee and paralympic experiences) or to book an experience, vist the Airbnb website.

Andrea Romano is a freelance writer in New York City. Follow her on Twitter @theandrearomano.