Today, we mark World Refugee Day, a moment to honor the courage and strength of refugees across the globe, as we also reflect on their stories of loss and pain. We are living through volatile times. At the end of 2024, an estimated 123.2 million people worldwide were forcibly displaced due to persecution, conflict, human rights violations and other events. As displacement remains at record levels, conflicts go unresolved, civilians are under attack -- and humanitarian aid is being slashed, putting millions of lives at risk.
In moments like these, when fear and division seem louder than compassion, our collective voices matter more than ever. Today we make a call to act, to choose empathy over apathy, to translate solidarity into meaningful change.
This World Refugee Day, we wish to send a clear message: “We see you. You are not forgotten. You are not alone.” Together, we have the power to make a real difference. Refugees need our solidarity, as do the communities who host them, such as the brave Bangladeshis who continue to open their hearts and their homes to hapless Rohingya who live in limbo, without citizenship or rights in their homeland.
Together, we can build a community that opens doors instead of slamming them shut. A place where everyone belongs.
