POLINA | TRAVEL | ANTWERP

My first time taking part in the epic @refugeewalk event and directly as part of the organization @vluchtelingenwerkvl 🫶🏼

What a unique day of solidarity, love and hope it was! Together, 3,560 participants and 160 volunteers raised €750,000 for people who have lost their homes around the world.

I woke up at 5 am this day and shared my time between the communications in the morning and the cheer team in the afternoon: 6 hours of jumping, cheering and screaming my lungs out!😄

I lost my voice, and my feet were completely exhausted and in pain but it was absolutely worth every second 📢

The most beautiful moment for me was seeing the joy in the eyes of my Afghan refugee students from the Dutch Speaking Club who came to volunteer. I could see the happiness, love and joy in their eyes. They felt included, loved and valued, a feeling they do not experience often enough. For a moment, they felt at home, far away from home.

And that’s what the Refugee Walk is about. The 3,560 walkers, and all the friends and families who supported their fundraising, share these values.

Events like this show that so many people truly care and have solidarity.

And that gives me hope❤️

Professional photos by @birtb 👏

#Solidarity #HumanRights #Refugees #Inclusion #love