Khaled Khateeb, cinematographer of the film, was unable to attend due to a visa problem. In a conflict where too many have chosen violence, the White Helmets wake up every day to save the lives others are trying so hard to take. [41], In May 2018, the US State Department announced that funding has been frozen for the White Helmets. This pledge guides every response, every action, every life saved - so that in a time of destruction, all Syrians have the hope of a lifeline. Images of Syrian volunteers in white helmets… Their official website says the volunteers have already saved m… The White Helmets’ motto is taken from the Quran: 'to save a life is to save all of humanity'. It is derived from the Quran. [92], In March 2017, the organization was reported to be operating on an annual budget of about $26 million. ARK, an international contracting firm based in the United Arab Emirates,[17] would facilitate entry of volunteers to Turkey, where they would be trained by AKUT. White Helmets Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced in a video statement that Israel had conducted the evacuation at the request of US President Donald Trump. The White Helmets, as they became known, began using head-mounted cameras to record what was happening on the ground. The White Helmets (Arabic: الخوذ البيضاء ,القبعات البيضاء‎ al-Ḫawdh al-bayḍāʾ / al-Qubaʿāt al-Bayḍāʾ), officially known as Syria Civil Defence[4] (SCD; Arabic: الدفاع المدني السوري‎ ad-Difāʿ al-Madanī as-Sūrī), is a volunteer organisation that operates in parts of opposition-controlled Syria and in Turkey. [96][66], SCD is widely cited, quoted, or depicted in regional and international media coverage of the conflict in Syria. [22] Like all NGOs operating in opposition-controlled areas, SCD negotiates humanitarian access with organisations such as local councils, provincial councils, and armed groups, with relationships varying widely from governorate to governorate. Denies Entry To Syrian Aid Worker Who Came To Receive Humanitarian Award", "Providing non-humanitarian assistance in Syria", "UK may increase aid to Syrian White Helmets after Trump pulls funding", "They've saved over 60,000 lives. That’s where the Syrian Civil Defense comes in. The helmets padding is designed to hug your chin tight to limit wind noise and the shield is fog, scratch, and UV protected. The White Helmet Myth. The White Helmets walk through debris in a rebel-held neighborhood of Aleppo. [52], The co-founder of the White Helmets, James Le Mesurier, was found dead in Istanbul on 9 November 2019. Finally, we believe that Syria will not have sustainable peace without accountability and justice. [100] The film won the Best Documentary (Short Subject) at the 89th Academy Awards. White Helmets in Idlib calling for the extermination and burning of Shia Muslim villages, Kafarya and Foua in 2016. In the White Helmets, we have a motto: “To save a life is to save all of humanity.” AMY GOODMAN : The trailer for the new Netflix documentary The White Helmets . A design that will look right at home on a wide range of motorcycles and riders alike. The short documentary follows around the daily operations of a group of volunteer rescue workers known as the Syrian Civil Defense, or The White Helmets. The group claims to be impartial, only interested in saving lives amid the chaos and atrocities of war. The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers is an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Queen's Division.Currently, the regiment has two battalions: the 1st battalion, part of the Regular Army, is an armoured infantry battalion based in Tidworth, Wiltshire, and the 5th battalion, part of the Army Reserve, recruits in the traditional fusilier recruiting areas across England. We sort fact from fiction", "Who are Syria's White Helmets, and why are they so controversial? [19] An offer of assistance from the White Helmets was rejected by Kurdish-controlled areas of Syria in 2019. [8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17] The organisation has also been criticized by the Iranian news agency MNA[18] and Chinese state news agency Xinhua. This dedication and courage inspired the global community and Syria’s White Helmets have been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. [26][1], Local and provincial councils joined with Mayday Rescue Foundation and AKUT Search and Rescue Association to create the first training programmes in early 2013. " The White Helmets " is largely set in Aleppo, one of Syria's most historic and important cities, and is shot as a documentary. The five docs will launch on Nat Geo’s YouTube channel on May 20. A White Helmet is no superhuman, although one could easily argue otherwise. [42][43][44] A State Department official indicated that they were reviewing assistance programs in Syria overall, which included funding for the White Helmets, and at the same time indicated that the United States would continue to support the White Helmets through multilateral donations. [91] The SCD has also received individual donations online to their Hero Fund, which provides treatment for wounded volunteers and supports their families. "[51] In September 2018, the United Kingdom granted asylum to about 100 White Helmet staff and relatives that had been evacuated to Jordan. The 2020 Bell Riot Rapid features a timeless white shell with a bold set of black racing stripes. Exclusive: Orlando von Einsiedel, whose short doc The White Helmets picked up the 2017 Academy Award, is teaming with National Geographic to launch a series of short films celebrating Nobel Peace Prize Laureates from around the world. [77] Initially the United Kingdom Foreign and Commonwealth Office was the largest single source of funding through Mayday Rescue Foundation. [39], On 14 December 2016, as the Syrian Armed Forces were recapturing eastern Aleppo, SCD head Raed Saleh requested safe passage of SCD operatives to rebel controlled countryside around Aleppo. A short documentary film about them titled “The White Helmets” was nominated for and subsequently won the 2017 Oscar award for best short documentary. The White Helmets have been demonised by Russian-backed propaganda outlets as everything from being partial to the rebel cause (despite the group’s motto being “to … [5], The White Helmets are considered a terrorist group by Iran, Russia and Syria. [69] In June 2018 the British government decided, due to the changing military situation, to responsibly withdraw from funding other projects in the area that the White Helmets operated in, such as policing, education and livelihood support, while maintaining support for the White Helmets. The Russian and Syrian governments fuelled the idea of a conspiracy. [43], On the night of 21 July 2018, Israel opened the Golan Heights boundary to allow a UN rescue mission to evacuate 422 people – 98 White Helmet volunteers and their family members – to Jordan. Formed in 2014 during the Syrian Civil War, the majority of the volunteers' activity in Syria consists of medical evacuation, urban search and rescuein response to bombing, evacuation of civilians from danger areas, and essential serv… The Civil Defense’s motto, “to save one life is to save all of humanity,” is adapted from a verse in the Quran. "[12] A study by Tom Wilson and Kate Starbird, published in The Harvard Kennedy School Misinformation Review in January 2020, found that anti-White Helmet discourse dominated postings on Twitter. Their only prerogative is to help the survivors. THE WHITE HELMETS, the Academy Award® winning Netflix original short documentary from filmmakers Orlando von Einsiedel and Joanna Natasegara, follows three Syrian volunteer rescue workers as they put everything on the line to save civilians affected by the war. [104], SCD was nominated for the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize[105] and was a recipient of the 2016 Right Livelihood Award, the "Alternative Nobel Prize". [23][24] Primary support and training was provided by Mayday Rescue Foundation, a not-for-profit foundation established by former British Army officer James Le Mesurier,[25] and became a key factor in the development of the organisation. [57], SCD is not affiliated with the International Civil Defence Organisation (ICDO), nor is it connected to the Damascus's Syrian Civil Defence Forces (SCDF), an ICDO-member since 1972. It's the most honourable thing I've seen during the revolution and I want to honour his name.' Photo Credit: AFP. The streaming service Netflix released a documentary film entitled The White Helmets on 16 September 2016 by British director Orlando von Einsiedel and producer Joanna Natasegara. All 3,200 of these like-minded individuals unite under one shared motto: ‘to save one life, is to save all of humanity’. It has a budget of $30 million a year, much of which is spent on equipment, such as heavy diggers to remove bodies from under concrete that has collapsed, and the stipends. [78] U.S. government funds are directed to SCD through Chemonics, a U.S. based private international development company. [98][99], SCD has been the subject of two films. [60] But, since the SCDF operate in government-held areas[61] and since civilian casualties in Syria overwhelmingly result from government forces' bombardments against targets in opposition-held areas, the unaffiliated SCD engages in civil defence tasks in said rebel-held areas. They are lauded by the Western commercially-controlled media as a group of volunteer first-responders, and are financed by the US, Britain, Qatar and Saudi Arabiato the tune of $100 million. The organisation’s motto comes from a verse in the Quran, ‘for he who saves a life, it will be as if he has saved all of humanity.’ We have saved more than 115,000 lives from under the rubble of aerial attacks. [20], In November 2016, the Revolutionaries of Syria Media Office, an opposition media organisation, published a video showing two SCD volunteers performing a staged rescue operation for the Mannequin Challenge meme. It returned following the capture of the city by the Turkish Army and Syrian rebels in the Turkish-led Operation Olive Branch in 2018. The narrative follows three Syrian men – a builder, a blacksmith … Can a organisation rightly be called an ‘independent relief organisation’ when it is being funded by a foreign government who is directly involved in the military over-throw of Syria’s government? The motto of the White Helmets is striking in its simplicity and wisdom: “To save a life is to save all of humanity.” When we think about heroes, we are generally compelled to picture a pinnacle of glory, costumed and branded and ready to serve. The group's motto -- 'To save one life is to save all of humanity' -- is drawn from a verse in the Koran, although the White Helmets insist they treat all victims, regardless of religion. [86] USAID have contributed at least $23 million from 2013 to March 2016. [83][84] the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs,[85] the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)[56] and the United Kingdom Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF). ... “In the White Helmets, we have a motto… Mayday Rescue's Program Manager for Syria is Farouq Habib,[74][75] who has also been described as the White Helmets' Head of International Relations. [90] As of 31 March 2018, the British government had provided £38.4m in aid to the White Helmets. He called them model citizens of Aleppo and quoted Abu Omar, a White Helmet in the film: “It does not matter who is fighting who. [8][10] In December 2017, The Guardian newspaper commented that it had "uncovered how this counter-narrative is propagated online by a network of anti-imperialist activists, conspiracy theorists and trolls with the support of the Russian government...[which] ...attract an enormous online audience, amplified by high-profile alt-right personalities, appearances on Russian state TV and an army of Twitter bots. [111] Harrah is the main character in Last Men in Aleppo, which was dedicated to him after his death. We are the victims of a campaign of systematic targeting by the Syrian regime and Russia. [66] In 2018, the White Helmets' vice president reported that the group’s financing for 2018 from foreign governments had fallen to $12 million from $18 million the previous year. [49][50] President Bashar al-Assad said: "They have two choices: to lay down their arms and use the amnesty we have offered over the last four or five years, or be killed like other terrorists. The White Helmets motto is a verse from the Quran: “Whoever saves one life, saves all of humanity.” While ISIS and other extremists seem focused on the intolerance of difference and judgement of infidels found in the Quran, the Syrian Civil Defense has chosen to emphasize the theme of human unity and commonality. Their motto is “To save one life is to save all of humanity”. [40] Syria Civil Defence joined the Independent Doctors Association, the Syrian Network for Human Rights, and the Violations Documentation Center to accuse Russian forces of war crimes in eastern Aleppo, jointly submitting a report to the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic. [6], SCD's stated mission is "to save the greatest number of lives in the shortest possible time and to minimize further injury to people and damage to property. The group's motto – "To save one life is to save all of humanity" – is drawn from a verse of the Quran, although the White Helmets insist they treat all victims, regardless of religion. He told the story of his son, who had been a White Helmet and was killed during a rescue. The White Helmets describe themselves as "2,900 volunteer search and rescue workers from local communities who risk their lives to save others and bring hope" throughout opposition-controlled Syria, and claim to have "saved 60,000 lives" during the conflict.. This old guy turned around and said, 'The day that I buried my son, I joined the White Helmets. Their motto, “To save one life is to save all of humanity,” motivates them as they race to the scene of every bombing to rescue the living and recover the dead. We work to provide documentation of human rights violations to be used in accountability processes. Their motto “To save a life is to save all humanity” is a reflection of what push them to keep doing what they are doing. [56][57][58] Sometimes described as the most dangerous job in the world,[59][24] SCD operations involve risk from being active in a war-zone. Formed in 2014 during the Syrian Civil War, the majority of the volunteers' activity in Syria consists of medical evacuation, urban search and rescue in response to bombing, evacuation of civilians from danger areas, and essential service delivery. The White Helmets talk about the bodies in pejorative terms, flashing “V” signs as a truck drives off with the White Helmets still atop the decomposing bodies of Syrian soldiers. In response, in the absence of formal governmental structures, small groups of civilian volunteers from affected communities, particularly in Aleppo and Idlib, assembled to assist civilians injured in bombardment or trapped under the rubble of destroyed buildings. The U.S. had provided more than $33 million to support the group since 2013. [21][22] Training, funding and support was provided from international partners, including donations from governments in Western Europe, the US and Japan; the Turkish AKUT Search and Rescue Association; and a combination of NGOs, private individuals, public fundraising campaigns, and charities. Search Submit. [20], The rescue teams that later became Syria Civil Defence emerged during the late 2012 escalation of the Syrian Civil War, as areas no longer under the control of the Assad government came under sustained attack from its military forces. All 3,200 of these like-minded individuals unite under one shared motto: ‘to save one life, is to save all of humanity’. How the white helmets gave their life to be the first to attend to the survivor who is caught in between the rubble and the aftermath of the atrocities taing place over there. Perception has become the center of gravity, as humanity’s increasing interconnectedness means that controlling communications is critical to the pursuit of strategic objectives. Following a request from Bashar al-Assad for support, Russia intervened in the Syrian Civil War on 30 September 2015. White Helmet's motto, taken from the Quran 5:32. It is indeed a story of heroism from the darkest corners of humanity. As well as providing rescue services, SCD undertakes repair works such as securing damaged buildings and reconnecting electrical and water services, clearing roads, teaching children about hazards from unexploded ordnance, as well as firefighting and winter storm relief. The White Helmets are united by their motto taken from the Quran: “Whoever saves a life, it is as though he has saved mankind entirely,” Jalabi noted. However they will not be … 264 volunteers have been killed in the line of duty -- more than half of these in deliberately targeted attacks. As daily airstrikes pound civilian targets in Syria, a group of indomitable first responders risk their lives to rescue victims from the rubble. [109][110] He was killed in Aleppo in an airstrike in August 2016. [65][66]:24,42–43, It has a co-ordination office on the Turkish-Syrian border in Gaziantep[36] and a training centre in Turkey. The fact the White Helmets are funded by states including the UK and the US was, for some, further grounds for suspicion. As of April 2018, the organisation said it had saved about 114,000 lives, and that 204 of its members had lost their lives while performing their duties. The White Helmets are a civilian search and rescue group that save people caught up in Russian and Syrian airstrikes. [123] Assertions made by RT contributor Eva Bartlett that the White Helmets stage rescues and "recycle" children in its videos were reported by Snopes and Channel 4 News as being false "beyond a reasonable doubt". White Helmet's motto, taken from the Quran 5:32 We are the White Helmets (Syria Civil Defence), a humanitarian organisation dedicated to helping communities prepare for, respond to and rebuild after attacks in our beloved Syria. "[23] Seven members were killed in August 2017 in an apparent assassination at their operations centre in Sarmin in Idlib Province. ", "Here's The Story Of 'White Helmets' Who Are Saving Innocent Civilians In War-Torn Syria", "Female Syrian White Helmets Honoree Had No Hesitation To Join", Female White Helmets from Syria and Afghan footballer receive Theirworld awards, "Khaled Omar Harrah: The First Responder", "Magazin wählt Petry und Erdogan zu den 'Denkern und Machern 2017, "White Helmet: We called Khaled the 'child rescuer, "Civil defense volunteer bursts into tears after rescuing a baby girl in Idlib", "Abu Kifah, Sir Bruce Forsyth, Brian Aldiss, Blanche Blackwell, Jerry Lewis", "High praise for Syria's 'White Helmets' – but who are they? # Their motto is “To save one life is to save all of humanity International Recognition of White Helmets: # Emerged in 2013,they were nominated for the Nobel Peace Price in 2016,but didn’t win. [102] The Associated Press reported that the United States Department of Homeland Security under President Trump decided to block Khaled Khateeb at the 11th hour. 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