Ski star joins campaign in support of refugees
Austrian alpine skiing champion Marcel Hirscher has joined a new social media campaign using the hashtag #showyourfacechallenge - speaking out in support of refugees and against xenophobia.
“As an athlete I don’t usually express my opinion on political issues, and there are certainly more appropriate people who could do this," 26-year-old Hirscher says in a video uploaded to Facebook.
He adds that as winter and colder weather approaches it is time to show that "there is a clear majority, who react with compassion and understanding instead of hatred or fear. And that is why I say: Say it loud, say it clear, refugees are welcome here." On Thursday morning his video had almost 300,000 views on Facebook.
At the end of the clip he nominates others to follow his example and film a short #showyourfacechallenge video - including Austrian President Heinz Fischer, soccer star David Alaba and fellow alpine skier and Olympic gold medallist Anna Fenninger.
The #showyourfacechallenge was only launched on Monday by 32-year-old Vienna-based actor Wojo van Brouwer. "It cannot be that the people who stir up hatred against refugees, are louder than we are - the people who have welcomed refugees into our country. We must show our faces and this is why I’m starting this challenge," van Brouwer says in his video.
(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));
REFUGEES ARE WELCOME HERE!
Leute, ich wurde von Peter Hörmanseder, besser bekannt als eine Teil von Maschek, für die #showyourfacechallenge nominiert und sage dafür aufrichtig DANKE. Ich äußere mich als Sportler normalerweise nicht zu politischen Themen, dafür gibt es Geeignetere, doch hier geht es nicht um Politik sondern um Anstand. Wenn es kälter wird in unserem Land, und nicht der Winter dafür verantwortlich ist, dann gilt es zu zeigen, dass die große Mehrheit anders denkt. Mitgefühl und Verständnis sind angesagt, anstatt Angst und Hass. Und deshalb sage ich: SAY IT LOUD, SAY IT CLEAR, REFUGEES ARE WELCOME HERE!Und nun nominiere ich den sehr geehrten Herrn Bundespräsident Dr. Heinz Fischer, unseren Fußballstar David Alaba, die beste Skifahrerin der Gegenwart Anna Fenninger, meine geschätzten Kollegen Aksel Lund Svindal und unseren Lieblingsnachbarn Felix Neureuther
Posted by Marcel Hirscher on Wednesday, September 2, 2015
Comments
See Also
“As an athlete I don’t usually express my opinion on political issues, and there are certainly more appropriate people who could do this," 26-year-old Hirscher says in a video uploaded to Facebook.
He adds that as winter and colder weather approaches it is time to show that "there is a clear majority, who react with compassion and understanding instead of hatred or fear. And that is why I say: Say it loud, say it clear, refugees are welcome here." On Thursday morning his video had almost 300,000 views on Facebook.
At the end of the clip he nominates others to follow his example and film a short #showyourfacechallenge video - including Austrian President Heinz Fischer, soccer star David Alaba and fellow alpine skier and Olympic gold medallist Anna Fenninger.
The #showyourfacechallenge was only launched on Monday by 32-year-old Vienna-based actor Wojo van Brouwer. "It cannot be that the people who stir up hatred against refugees, are louder than we are - the people who have welcomed refugees into our country. We must show our faces and this is why I’m starting this challenge," van Brouwer says in his video.
REFUGEES ARE WELCOME HERE!Leute, ich wurde von Peter Hörmanseder, besser bekannt als eine Teil von Maschek, für die #showyourfacechallenge nominiert und sage dafür aufrichtig DANKE. Ich äußere mich als Sportler normalerweise nicht zu politischen Themen, dafür gibt es Geeignetere, doch hier geht es nicht um Politik sondern um Anstand. Wenn es kälter wird in unserem Land, und nicht der Winter dafür verantwortlich ist, dann gilt es zu zeigen, dass die große Mehrheit anders denkt. Mitgefühl und Verständnis sind angesagt, anstatt Angst und Hass. Und deshalb sage ich: SAY IT LOUD, SAY IT CLEAR, REFUGEES ARE WELCOME HERE!Und nun nominiere ich den sehr geehrten Herrn Bundespräsident Dr. Heinz Fischer, unseren Fußballstar David Alaba, die beste Skifahrerin der Gegenwart Anna Fenninger, meine geschätzten Kollegen Aksel Lund Svindal und unseren Lieblingsnachbarn Felix Neureuther
Posted by Marcel Hirscher on Wednesday, September 2, 2015
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.