LONDON: UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Cate Blanchett spoke about the issues surrounding refugees at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Tuesday, calling for increased solidarity and responsibility sharing to help the 65 million people who have been displaced worldwide, including 22 million refugees.
The award winning Australian actress also condemned her countries own treatment of refugees, calling it “shameful” and an “embarresment”.
Blanchett picked up a Crystal Award on Monday for her leadership in raising awareness of the refugee crisis. The actress is in Davos to talk about her work for UNHCR.
“As a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador, my job is simple: to help connect people to the human stories of those forced to flee, and to state the case for all of us to stand with refugees,” she said.
The actress explained that a major part of the problem is the misinformation around refugees.
She said that it is the developing world baring the burden while the developed world is being told that refugees, “who have masses to offer, will be a burden.”
You have to remember that these are innocent people," she says.
“The vast majority of them want to go home, but in the meantime, they want to offer something to their host country. But, the numbers are so overwhelming that you need individual stories.”
