GENAVA
Marking the 75th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention, the UN refugee agency on Tuesday launched a global campaign bringing together 75 prominent figures to reaffirm support for refugees and the right to seek asylum.
The initiative, called The Promise, seeks to build a broad coalition in support of refugee protection through the Global Refugee Forum in 2027, UNHCR said in a statement.
The initial signatories include actor-filmmakers Cate Blanchett, Angelina Jolie and Ben Stiller; Olympic champion and International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry; Nobel Peace Prize laureates Malala Yousafzai, Nadia Murad, Denis Mukwege and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf; as well as business leaders, faith leaders and refugee advocates.
“The Refugee Convention has saved millions of lives over the decades; it goes to the core of our shared humanity,” Barham Salih, the UN high commissioner for refugees, said. “Seventy-five years ago, the world made a promise to protect people forced to flee. Our responsibility now is to keep that promise alive, for all generations to come.”
More than 41 million refugees remain forcibly displaced worldwide, with host countries carrying immense responsibility while asylum systems in many places are increasingly stretched, the agency added.
The campaign calls for stronger international cooperation to ensure refugees can seek safety, rebuild their lives and access lasting solutions, while encouraging governments, businesses, civil society and local communities to play a greater role in refugee protection.
