Angelina Jolie, the special envoy for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), has appealed to all “to take a moment and to truly grasp what a refugee crisis of today’s magnitude means for peace and security of the world.”
Last year, at least 65.3 million people were forcibly displaced by rising violence, insecurity, and persecution, the latest report by UNHCR revealed.
“I ask people to understand that with 65 million people displaced by conflict, we are facing a world of wars we cannot ignore or turn our backs on. To do that would be naive, irresponsible, and dangerous,” Ms Jolie said. “We face a very clear choice: to continue as we are and see displacement and insecurity grow, or to come together with other nations and find a new approach, one that does not focus solely on aid and resettlement but on solution, stability, and returns.”
Ms Jolie pointed out that intolerance and xenophobia were rising partly in response to the refugee crisis. “But strength lies in mastering and channelling our emotions so that we pursue policies that reduce – not inflame – threats to our security. We need leadership. We need solutions,” she said.
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