The Courage to Welcome: solidarity in a divided world
One People Oration, Westminster Abbey, London, UK By Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Good evening, dear friends, and thank you, Mr. Dean, for this warm introduction. And thank you all for coming. What a privilege to deliver an oration in such a truly...
From Syria to the Simbas: How Saleh Al Osman found belonging through soccer—and now helps others do the same
Under the fading evening sun in Terraview Park, you’ll often find Saleh Al Osman pacing the sidelines, cheering on kids with a whistle around his neck and a quiet confidence in his voice. For Saleh, the soccer field isn’t just a place to play—it’s where communities...
Refugees in Belfast find friendship, freedom and confidence through football
After arriving from South Sudan aged 18, Mary found purpose and support at Street Soccer – a Belfast scheme for refugees and youth – and at a centre run by the Irish Football Association. By Sarah Hayward in Belfast, United Kingdom Four years to the day since she...
UNHCR calls for urgent international support to advance solutions for Sahel’s forcibly displaced
This is a summary of what was said by Abdouraouf Gnon-Konde UNHCR’s Director of the Regional Bureau for West and Central Africa – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at the press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. GENEVA – About 4 million people...
UNHCR welcomes Brazil’s new national policy on refugees, migrants and stateless
The new policy is a landmark step in safeguarding the rights of displaced populations and reaffirms Brazil’s leadership in human rights and humanitarian protection. GENEVA – UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, welcomes the adoption yesterday of a national policy in...
UNHCR: Violence flares anew in northern Mozambique, forcing 22,000 to flee in a week
This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR’s Mozambique Representative Xavier Creach – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at the press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. GENEVA – UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is deeply concerned at the rapidly...
High Commissioner’s Opening Statement to the 76th plenary session of the Executive Committee of the High Commissioner’s Programme
By UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi in Geneva, Switzerland (As delivered) Mr. Chairman, Señor Presidente, Distinguished Delegates, Dear colleagues, Please rest assured: although this is the last time for me to address this Committee as United...
‘Soccer is everything’: How Dacious Richardson’s love of the game helped him heal from a childhood shaped by war
From a childhood shaped by war in Liberia to building one of Vancouver’s most dynamic youth initiatives, soccer has remained a constant through every chapter of Dacious Richardson’s life. For him, it’s only the beginning of unlocking the game’s...