Raed is the head of the Syrian Civil Defence (also known as The White Helmets). The Syrian Civil Defence is a volunteer organization created in 2013, and made of former bakers, teachers, electricians and other “ordinary” Syrians who now work together to save the lives of those wounded during attacks. There are 2,700 rescue workers who make up The White Helmets, who have so far saved over 62,000 lives from the rubble of air-strikes in rebel-held areas of Syria. This year, the Syrian Civil Defence were awarded the Right Livelihood Award, and were Nobel Peace Prize nominees.