Refugee Olympic and Paralympic Team athletes have a story like no other. Released 6th April, to mark the UN’s International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, UNHCR’s latest social media video ‘The Journey’ tells the dramatised story of a female refugee who has had to flee her home to escape conflict and persecution. The film, created by award-winning creative agency Don’t Panic, shows that the arduous journey to freedom isn’t an easy one, as her life is constantly on the line. Eventually, having reached safety, she stops running away from something and starts running towards something; a medal.

Working with directing collective Pantera at Anonymous Content, authenticity and credibility were paramount to ensure the film was an accurate portrayal of a  refugee’s journey, grounded in real life stories. To ensure this, Don’t Panic and Anonymous Content worked closely with UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency to collaborate with two of the IOC Refugee Athlete Scholarship-holders to make sure the real experiences of those who have been forced to flee their homes were woven into the narrative. Two refugee athletes hoping to compete at this year’s games, Rose Lokonyen and Asif Sultani, were consulted at every phase of production.