During her career,
Nina often had to show more than others that she deserves her place in the top.
She often came across obstacles, but the bad times got her to push herself even
harder and be the best she could be. She finally showed Sweden that one can be
an immigrant and still make it to the top and she showed her Assyrian community
that one can be in the Swedish elite sports without having to deny his/her own
culture and roots. Nina has been active within the Assyrian movement since
always, through the Assyrian association of Södertälje and she has played
basketball in the highest divisions of both Sweden and Spain. With a strong and
intact Assyrian identity, Nina Baresso is today a three time winner of the
Swedish Championship in Basketball, a proud wife and mother, a role model for
many teenagers, the ambassador of Södertälje and last but not least – now even
the ambassador of Assyrians Without Borders.
What do you know about Assyrians
Without Borders?
- That it is the only Assyrian
humanitarian organisation that has a 90-account, which makes it trustworthy and
that the organisation works to improve the situation of Assyrians in the
homeland no matter what they call themselves or which church they belong to.
How and where did you first hear
of Assyrians Without Borders?
- I heard of the organisation and
saw you for the first time in one of Assyriska FF’s soccer games in the arena of
Södertälje.
What do you feel is the most
important question to prioritise for the Assyrian people right now?
- Not Seyfo (the genocide on
Assyrians in Turkey in 1915) because that would be to look backwards. Even
though it still is important to get the genocide recognized, I feel that the
refugees’ situation that is growing in Iraq and that is spreading to Syria and
Jordan is an actual and emergency question.
Have you heard of Assyrians
Without Borders’ actual campaign called “5 kronors per goal” that has been
carried out for two years now on the initiative of Josef and Aziz Barkarmo in
Norrköping, Sweden? The campaign consists in the supporters of the three
Assyrian soccer teams Assyriska Fotbolls Föreningen Södertälje, Assyriska IF in
Norrköping och Assyriska BK in Göteborg, donating five kronors for each of the
goals that their respective team makes during this season. What do you think of
this campaign?
- Yes I have heard of it, and I
think it is a very good idea considering the fact that most if not all fans of
Assyrian teams also support the Assyrian cause and would probably more than
gladly help Assyrians in need.
Can you explain why you were
willing to accept the role of ambassador for Assyrians Without Borders?
- It is an honour to have been
asked. I feel honoured. It has always been a goal to help Assyrians in need. I
love my people and whenever I have been in the media, I have tried to lobby for
the Assyrian cause. When Assyrians Without Borders asked me to be their
ambassador, I didn’t hesitate a second to say yes.
What are your expectations and
hopes about the organization?
- Hopefully that Assyrians Without
Borders will be able to help as many Assyrians as possible to improve their
living situations so that they get the means they need to keep on living in the
homeland under circumstances that are good enough. I also have as both a hope
and an expectation that as many as possible both in Sweden and in the rest of
the western world will want to help our people in need.
We asked you to be our
representative outwards because we think that you are a good role model for our
people. How do you think that you can help Assyrians Without Borders and thus
the Assyrians in the homeland?
- I have a wide social network and I tell people more than willingly about
Assyrians Without Borders. I can do whatever it takes.
Danielle Barsoum
Assyrians Without
Borders