The Syrian refugee crisis has dominated worldwide dialogue over the past year. We’ve been inundated with headlines about refugees who have been left stranded because of gridlock in the European Union as well as European and Middle Eastern countries’ inability to accommodate the sheer volume of refugees. Although attempting to provide assistance to these refugees may seem like a daunting task, one college student in Germany and his crew team have risen to the challenge.
“The idea for Row2Syria actually came about while my teammates and I were painting our boathouse one Saturday,” says Jacobs University freshman Vincent Jerosch-Herold. “We had been talking for several weeks about ways in which we could show support for Syrian refugees. While we were painting that day, I brought up the subject with the president of our rowing club, Mat Hunter. I was interested in rowing a very long distance to raise awareness. I thought of 100 kilometers, but doing just that seemed to lack meaning. So then Mat asked what the distance was between Damascus and Bremen, and after a few calculations, we realized that with over 40 rowers, it was possible to row the 3,078 kilometers between the two cities in under 24 hours.”
The 3,078-kilometer ergathon will take place on Saturday, November 14 at Jacobs University in Bremen, Germany and will be broadcast live via the official website of Row2Syria. All proceeds from the event will be managed by Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund (the Workers’ Samaritan Federation, a German aid and welfare organization) and will be used directly towards helping Syrian refugees.
“Never thought I would row my way back to Damascus. I am truly excited to row at this event, as it will be the closest I have been to my home since I left the county in 2012,” says Al Nahas.
For Jerosch-Herold, it was a visit to a refugee camp near Jacobs that served as the inspiration for this initiative.
“In the courtyard, there were several children playing and laughing. Seeing how cheerful they were despite their circumstances -- it is difficult to put into words, but I just felt a strong sense of injustice. Uprooted from their home country for a war that they have absolutely no part in, forced to make the perilous journey across the Mediterranean, and often repeatedly met with closed doors and a system that fails to integrate them properly into their adoptive countries, it is simply not fair,” says Jerosch-Herold. “I hope to help provide them with every opportunity that I was lucky enough to have growing up. A portion of the money raised by Row2Syria will go towards creating a playroom for the kids at the camp. So I hope that within the limits of my abilities, I will have in some way contributed to a better future for these kids.”
In order to further engage the rowing community at large, the young organizers of Row2Syria have started the 100-meter Challenge. Similar to the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge which flooded social media last year, rowers complete the challenge by rowing 100 meters as fast as possible and then nominating others to attempt to beat their time in a display of solidarity with the refugees.
Indeed, the rowing community has responded enthusiastically. Row2Syria currently has the support of World Champions Valent and Matija Sinkovic as well as reigning Olympic champions the Deutschland Achter (the German Men’s Eight), who have sent the organization kits to distribute as prizes for those who log the most meters during the ergathon. Marita Hesse, former world champion, will be speaking at the event as well. To top it all off, Row2Syria was recently featured on RowingRelated and World Rowing, one of the most popular rowing blogs on the web and the official website of the International Rowing Federation, respectively.
“It is incredibly inspiring to have Olympic athletes, who have done so much to inspire us throughout the years with their numerous accomplishments, backing our event,” says Jerosch-Herold. “The rowing community as a whole has been incredibly supportive. A large number of clubs in Germany are helping promote the ergathon and will be involved during the 24 hours in which the event will be taking place. We also have received support from boat clubs and college teams around the world.”
As full-time student-athletes -- juggling rigorous course loads, training 6 times a week, part-time jobs, and extracurriculars -- the organizers of Row2Syria have certainly faced obstacles along the way.
“We have only had one month to organize the entire event, make promotional videos, design a website, gain the support of a charity, find enough sponsors to make sure we have all the necessary equipment -- the list is endless,” says Jerosch-Herold. “Looking for support for our project, we have received many ‘nos’...But then, I will receive an email from a small boat club across the world which, although in no way affected by the refugee crisis, still wants to get involved. That’s what keeps me going: knowing that there is always someone out there that cares, no matter the distance.”
Indeed, Jerosch-Herold says one of the most memorable experiences for him has been watching Row2Syria blossom from what seemed to be a far-fetched idea planted one Saturday afternoon while covered in paint into an event that will have a real impact on Syrian refugees’ lives.
As for Row2Syria’s direction in the long-term, Jerosch-Herold says it is difficult to tell at the moment.
“I think right now we are focused on simply making this event as successful as possible,” he says. “It would be great to make this an annual event in recognition of the struggles of refugees from all around the world, and I would love to see this movement expand to other sports...Who knows, maybe Run2Syria could become a thing, or Bike2Syria?”
To learn more, donate, and watch the 24-hour ergathon live on November 14, visit the official website of Row2Syria. You can also follow Row2Syria’s updates on their Twitter, Facebook page, and Instagram feed.
