RWW Special Premiere: We Dare to Dream

Cultural Celebration & Identity Reclamation

Jun 18, 2025

19:30

22:00

Pakhuis De Zwijger

Sliding scale starting at €5 and education events are free, if you do not have means to purchase a ticket please email us.

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This special premiere of We Dare to Dream is part of the inaugural edition of Refugee Welcome Week in the Netherlands. The evening brings together community, cuisine, and cinema to honor resilience and the right to dream.

18:00 - 19:30 Dinner by the Hummus Academy accompanied with flute performance by Mustafa Döşdemir

To kick off the evening, we are organising a special Eat to Meet dinner curated by Hummus Academy, where we share a meal together before the screening.

19:30 - 20:30 Film

The film follows refugee athletes who train, compete, and persevere against all odds, symbolizing the dignity and strength of those forced to flee. Their stories challenge common narratives of victimhood and instead demand recognition of talent, ambition, and belonging.

20:30 - 21:30 Panel

Following the screening, we will continue the conversation with director Waad Al-Kateab and athlete Wael Fawaz Al-Farraj, joined by a panel of experts who will critically examine resettlement as the only safe and legal pathway for many refugees—a pathway that is increasingly restricted. What can these athletes teach us about radical hope, belonging, and justice? And what happens when even the most exceptional are not welcome?

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Waad al-Kateab became a citizen journalist during the Syrian uprising, capturing life in Aleppo and co-directing the acclaimed documentary For Sama. Her fearless reporting for Channel 4 News reached millions and won numerous awards. Now based in London, she continues her advocacy through Action For Sama. Her recent films include We Dare to Dream (2023), about refugee athletes, and Death Without Mercy (2024), on the Turkey-Syria earthquakes.

Wael Fawaz Al-Farraj is a Syrian refugee and Taekwondo athlete whose journey began in the Azraq refugee camp in Jordan. At just 13 years old, he discovered the sport through a humanitarian exhibition and quickly became the first trainee at the Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation to earn a black belt. His exceptional talent and dedication earned him a place on the IOC Refugee Athlete Scholarship, and by age 19, he was selected for the second-ever Refugee Olympic Team, aiming to compete in the Tokyo 2020 Games.

is an anthropologist and dedicated human rights advocate who has been at the forefront of the refugee-led advocacy movement since his direct engagement with the 2016 UN Refugee and Migrants Summit. His commitment is reflected in the co-founding of initiatives such as the G-100 Initiative, the Global Refugee-led Network, and Syrian Volunteers Netherlands (SYVNL)—platforms that center refugee leadership and create practical tools for meaningful participation in policy processes.

Mustafa Döşdemir, originally trained in law in Turkey, later studied cultural anthropology and human rights law in the Netherlands. A published poet and writer, he is active in both oral and written literary traditions. He also performs classical and traditional Turkish music on the flute, often blending music and literature in events that celebrate cultural exchange and diversity.