Syrian Civil Defense highlights female volunteers for International Women's Day

Yesterday, Twitter users all over the world were tweeting in honor of International Women’s Day. People took the opportunity to stand in solidarity with women, show support for loved ones, and recognize the greatness that is 49.6% of the world’s population. (Of course, there were those who chose to bash the holiday and women, but ain’t nobody got time for that).

In honor of the occasion, The Foreign & Commonwealth Office Twitter handle shared a video that went viral, portraying the role of women in the Syrian Civil Defense (aka The White Helmets). The short clip features an interview with one female Civil Defense worker involved with the urban search and rescue group, which operates in the immediate aftermath of airstrikes and shelling. She talks about her personal experience, but also about how Syrian women are determined not to be victims of the conflict.

Watch the whole clip here:

The women of the White Helmets have helped to save thousands of lives. This is one of their stories @SyriaCivilDef #InternationalWomensDay pic.twitter.com/BxgcMbzNII

— Foreign Office (@foreignoffice) March 8, 2017

The Syrian Civil Defense was thrown into the spotlight at the Academy Awards this year, when a short film about the group won an Oscar for Best Short Documentary. The group, who does not come without controversy, has the stated motto that, “to save one life is to save all of humanity”, taken from a Qur’anic verse.

LM

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