Syrian refugee and athlete Nadia Abu Salman was able to obtain the title of Outstanding Woman in the Dutch town of Venlo for the year 2022, by receiving the "Women in the Media Award" (Vrouwen in de Media Awards).
A few days ago, Dutch media celebrated refugee Nadia Abu Salman, who fled Syria due to the events of the war during the past years in search of a safe life with her family, noting that she is a role model for many women.
"Sanad" agency for monitoring and news verification of Al-Jazeera network contacted Nadia Abu Salman to tell her story and her journey in the Netherlands and even to obtain this title, which she confirmed that it reflects the extent of respect and appreciation for people without looking at their backgrounds and cultures, but rather what they have and what they can offer to society is considered. It affects the lives of others.
The beginning of the refugee camp
Nadia Abu Salman, who received the title of "distinguished woman" in her interview with "Sanad", said that after she sought refuge in the Netherlands due to the war in Syria, "sports was the only way to connect me with the people in the refugee camp, where I organized activities for women and children, and it was appreciated." and respect.”
"After I moved from the refugee camps to the Venlo region in the Netherlands, we started a different life in which there is a lot more independence and privacy than the society in which we lived," she said.
"I participated in my children's school as a volunteer, and at the same time I joined the Dutch language courses, and the point of integration with Dutch society began," Abu Salman added.
She started her first activities with a group of organizations and schools, the Venlo municipality's sports department and support for children and parents with low incomes, with the opportunity to play sports for free in 2019, she said.
She pointed to the response of the population and children, as the matter began to expand little by little, until they engaged in providing an integrated sports program at the highest levels with more than 60 children from different cultures and regions around the world.
professional step
Abu Salman continued, "We won a certificate of appreciation on the sporting level. In fact, at that time I did not know the importance of this award for the Dutch, but the results were the most important to me."
And she added, "I got an opportunity to work as a coach in the sports department of the municipality of Venlo, and it was a good opportunity, but it was not easy at all, as there is a big difference between the nature of work in my country and the technological development I found here, and the nature of the organization of work, which made me join several courses in order to keep pace with what is happening." along with helping my colleagues.
She explained, "In 2021, I started as a sports consultant in the sports department, and people trusted me, and this helped me a lot. The nature of my work was to connect different cultures with Dutch society through sport."
The Syrian refugee explained the reason for the success of her mission by opening up Dutch culture to other cultures. Various activities were organized for parents and children who faced many difficulties throughout their journey to Holland.
She pointed out that a suitable atmosphere was provided for the practice of sports such as walking, running and swimming, and these efforts ended at the end of 2021 with the obtaining of a swimming certificate in the first and second levels, which was a motivating start for many other women.
outstanding woman
The efforts mentioned by Nadia Abu Salman were significantly reflected on her, if she was nominated, along with 4 other people, by the Women's Media Organization at the level of the Limburg district at the end of last year.
About that, she says, "I got 24% of the votes in first place, and this is a sign of respect and love for people. In fact, I had no idea about this award before, but I find it a good support for the role of women in society and through the media as well."
Speaking about the distinguished woman's title, Nadia Abu Salman explained, "It was very far from my thinking, and it is a Dutch heritage in the region of Venloos (vrouw name Venloos) where it is honored on International Women's Day and this is a ritual for the people of the area in which I live."
She concluded, "It was a great surprise for me, the honor of receiving the title, which indicates the extent of respect and appreciation for people in all transparency, without considering where you are from? Who are you? But with what you have and what you can offer to society in a way that affects the lives of others."
The title of Distinguished Woman is an honorary symbol, and its holder is announced every year in the Venlo region, where the winning woman is officially honored on March 8, coinciding with International Women's Day.
Nadia Abu Salman hails from the city of Damascus in the Jaramana region. She lived in an athletic family, an uncle, an uncle, a father, and a brother. She encouraged sports and supported the sports community. She received her first invitation to the women’s basketball team and joined the women’s team in the Army Club.
She also participated in a number of arbitration courses in the game of basketball, and was facing many difficulties in proving the role of women in society, and this matter (the arbitration profession for women) was new to many before her departure from Syria.
It is noteworthy that every year the organizer of the "Women in the Media Award" nominates a group of women at the county level and at the country level as well. Committee 5 or less from one district, and women are invited through the media to vote by the district itself to choose the special woman of the year.