The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) revealed their new campaign, #EveryoneCounts, earlier today. Starred by celebrity activists and refugees, its goal is to change the way people see refugees, focusing not on their struggles, but on their resilience, strength and the skills they can bring to their new communities. Take a look at the video below (it’s got English subtitles):
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Xenophobia, negative stereotyping and fear are on the rise. All around us. Getting louder and louder and louder. Something needs to change. It is time to see refugees differently, to see that refugees – like everyone – when given the chance and the opportunity, can reach our potential, can have a positive impact, can give back.
Besides Benedict, are also supporting the campaign: Cate Blanchett, Neil Gaiman, Alfonso Herrera, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Ben Stiller, Nomzamo Mbatha, Adut Akech, MIYAVI, Jung Woo-sung, Barbara Hendricks, Yusra Mardini, Praya Lundberg, David Morrissey, Mercy Masika, Mahira Khan, Nitin Sawhney, Maya Ghazal, Danny Ocean, Riz Ahmed, Raghad Haddad, Amanda Palmer, JJ Bola, Emi Mahmoud, Jesus Vasquez, among others.
The campaign seems to have been released due to the start of the very first Global Refugee Forum today in an advanced session (it starts officially tomorrow and ends on Wednesday) at the Palace of Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, from which will hopefully emerge concrete solutions in how to take the principle of international responsibility-sharing – the centre of the Global Compact on Refugees affirmed last December by the UN – from theory to practice.
You can find more information about the campaign and how to help refugees around the world on UNHCR’s website (which is available in many languages).
