For the first time in history, the Olympics will represent the perseverance, determination, tireless work, and camaraderie of over 200 teams, including one that does not claim a country. A team of 10 strong and proud athletes marched on the Maracanã Stadium for the Olympic Opening Ceremony, waving the official Olympic flag, representing millions of refugee families around the world.

The 2016 Rio Summer Olympics will be the first in history to host a team of refugee athletes that have been trained for life survival. Among the competitors is Yusra Mardini, an 18-year-old Syrian refugee, who, alongside her sister, pushed an inflatable survival boat three long hours through the Aegean Sea, until miraculously arriving on a Grecian shore. The 6-person raft was filled above capacity with 20 other refugees fleeing for their lives. 36-year-old Yonas Kinde, is also among the athletes. The oldest of the Olympic Refugee competitors, Kinde has run for his life, escaping his home country of Ethopia, as a result of ‘impossible’ living conditions. He will prepare his feet on the start up line, now running for the Rio Men’s Marathon.

Expressing his grief for the wretched happenings in these refugee countries, team swimmer, Rami Anis, shares a sincere wish: "I hope that at Tokyo 2020 there will be no refugee team."

(Two other refugee athletes Paul Amotun Lokoro and Anjelina Nadai Lohalith, orginally of South Sudan)

These immeasurably powerful people are the survivals of their beginnings. They will harness their born athletic talent into not just competing for medals, but instilling a fervent hope in the hearts of their families and millions of others currently facing the challenges they have previously conquered to swim, run, and fight where they are now.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is why we have the Olympics.

See the Olympic Refugee Team roster here. Tune in from August 5-16, 2016 to watch history take place.