Hungarian refugees arrive at the Eisenstadt Refugee Camp in Austria after the brutal suppression of the Hungarian Revolution in 1956. © UNHCR
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The Promise is a public statement of solidarity, bringing together prominent figures from across society to reaffirm support for refugees and the right to seek safety.
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Launched on 28 July, as the Refugee Convention marks its 75th anniversary, it aims to build a diverse coalition for refugee protection through to the Global Refugee Forum in 2027.
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Initial signatories include faith leaders, Nobel laureates, artists and cultural figures, athletes and sports leaders, business figures, refugee leaders and human rights advocates.
GENEVA – As the world marks the 75th anniversary of the Refugee Convention, at a time of record displacement and mounting pressure on asylum systems, 75 leading figures from across society have joined UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, in launching The Promise, a global statement of solidarity with refugees.
Convened by UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Barham Salih, the initiative aims to build a global coalition in support of refugee protection at a time when the international system faces growing challenges. Through The Promise, signatories reaffirm the enduring principles of the Refugee Convention and the commitment to protect people fleeing conflict, violence and persecution.
Among the Initial 75 signatories are: actor-filmmakers Cate Blanchett, Angelina Jolie and Ben Stiller; Olympic champion and IOC President Kirsty Coventry; entrepreneurs Hamdi Ulukuya, Mo Ibrahim and Tadashi Yanai; Nobel Peace Prize Laureates Malala Yousafzai, Nadia Murad, and Dr Denis Mukwege and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, also of The Elders; and Sarah Mullaly, Archbishop of Canterbury. Their participation reflects broad support from across society for protecting the right to seek asylum and standing in solidarity with refugees.
“The Refugee Convention has saved millions of lives over the decades; it goes to the core of our shared humanity,” said Barham Salih, UN High Commissioner for Refugees. “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. As old conflicts persist and new ones erupt, host countries carry immense responsibility, while asylum systems in many places are left stretched and under-resourced.
In The Promise, signatories affirm the commitment of the Refugee Convention: that people forced to flee war, violence and persecution must be able to seek safety and rebuild their lives. They call for a world where everyone can seek safety, refugees are included in communities, solutions to displacement begin from the earliest stages of every crisis, and all sections of society play their part. They pledge to choose “action, compassion and solidarity. Until everyone is safe.”
“The Refugee Convention provides governments with a practical framework for managing one of the most difficult challenges any state can face. By applying it effectively and working together, States can uphold the Convention in ways that protect those forced to flee while preserving security, stability and public confidence,” Salih added.
“The Convention is also about finding solutions, and that means all of us acting together at the early stages of displacement, so refugees are not left to languish. We must support host countries and communities, expand opportunities for refugees, and create the conditions for voluntary return and other lasting solutions.”
UNHCR will continue inviting individuals and organizations to endorse The Promise in the lead-up to the Global Refugee Forum in 2027.
For more information or for interviews
Please contact:
- Matthew Saltmarsh: saltmars@unhcr.org
- Eujin Byun: byun@unhcr.org.
Notes to editors
Forged in the aftermath of the Second World War, the 1951 Refugee Convention enshrined a simple yet profound promise: that every person, no matter who they are or where they are from, has the right to seek and enjoy safety from persecution. Together with its 1967 Protocol, the Convention remains the foundation of refugee protection, defining who is a refugee, outlining the rights and assistance refugees are entitled to receive and setting international standards for their protection. The Convention gives refugees specific rights to ensure they can live in safety and dignity, while solutions are pursued, and outlines their obligations to the host country.
Full text of The Promise
From the ashes of the Second World War came a solemn promise: a promise to protect people forced to flee war, violence, and persecution. Today, with forced displacement at record levels, we must renew that promise. This is one of the defining challenges of our time. But it is also a test of our shared humanity. We can and must respond.
Behind the numbers are real people whose lives have been uprooted. Yet their talents, experiences, and ambitions remain. Being a refugee should be only a chapter in a person’s life, not their whole life story. Most refugees stay as close to their home countries as they can, often in communities already facing immense pressure. That is where we must act first. Not with aid alone, but with opportunity. Not only helping people survive but enabling them to rebuild their lives and forge better futures.
We affirm our commitment to a world where:
- Safety is a certainty: Everyone has the right to seek safety from war, violence, and persecution.
- Refugees are included: Refugees belong in our communities, schools, and workplaces, where they can find opportunities and contribute to the societies that host them.
- Solutions are swift: Whether it’s integration, a fresh start in a new country, or a safe return home, we seek to resolve displacement right from the start.
- We act together: From governments to local communities, global institutions to town halls, boardrooms to faith groups, businesses to civil society, we all play our part in making a difference.
We stand by the promise of the Refugee Convention. We choose action, compassion and solidarity. Until everyone is safe.
