{"id":5487,"date":"2023-12-20T10:42:58","date_gmt":"2023-12-20T09:42:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.simieducation.org\/?p=5487"},"modified":"2023-12-20T10:42:58","modified_gmt":"2023-12-20T09:42:58","slug":"the-global-refugee-forum-2023-and-the-need-for-international-cooperation-towards-humanity-and-fraternity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.simieducation.org\/en\/2023\/12\/20\/the-global-refugee-forum-2023-and-the-need-for-international-cooperation-towards-humanity-and-fraternity\/","title":{"rendered":"The Global Refugee Forum 2023 and the need for international cooperation towards humanity and fraternity"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The Global Refugee Forum 2023 <\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

and the need for international cooperation towards humanity and fraternity<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

By Annemarijn Cozijnsen<\/em><\/p>\n

From the 13th to the 15th of December, the Global Refugee Forum 2023<\/strong><\/span> took place in Geneva, Switzerland. This Forum is organized every four years, in order to assist the practical implementation of the Global Compact on Refugees<\/strong><\/span>, a 2018 United Nations agreement and framework aimed at improving the international response to the needs of refugees. The Global Compact on Refugees sets out a framework for fairer responsibility-sharing across countries<\/strong><\/span> on the basis of improved international cooperation<\/strong><\/span>, as well as a blueprint for governments, international organizations, and other stakeholders to guarantee adequate assistance to refugees<\/strong><\/span>.<\/p>\n

The 2023 Forum was co-convened by France, Colombia, Uganda, Japan, and Jordan, and it was co-hosted by the UNHCR as well as the Government of Switzerland. It was visited by over 4,200 participants<\/strong><\/span>, coming from 168 different countries. Member states, humanitarian aid and development actors, international organizations and financial institutions, regional organizations, civil society, including faith-based organizations<\/span><\/strong>, and others were present in Geneva. Furthermore, there were 10,000 online attendees. Pope Francis sent a message of blessing <\/strong><\/span>to the participants of the Global Refugee Forum, stating the fact that today \u201cnearly 114 million people are forcibly displaced<\/strong><\/span>, many internally, due to conflicts, violence and persecution, including on the basis of religious beliefs, as well as the effects of climate change\u201d and calling for the world \u201cto create communities that are ready and open to welcome, promote, accompany and integrate those who knock on our doors<\/span><\/strong>.\u201d[1]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

The Forum dedicated special attention to the current humanitarian crisis in Gaza. In his closing statement, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi stated that \u201cwhat is already a massive displacement crisis must not<\/em> turn into yet another refugee crisis<\/strong><\/span>\u201d and called for support to The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).[2]<\/sup><\/a> Overall, Grandi argued that \u201cthe state of the world requires a reboot of humanity and energy to meet the challenges before us, including that of forced displacement<\/strong><\/span>. And as long as displacement and other humanitarian crises persist, we need an equally large, sustained, and urgent influx of humanitarian resources.\u201d[3]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

In light of this dire need for a humanitarian revitalization, during the Forum more than 1600 pledges were made to assist refugees and host communities worldwide<\/strong><\/span>, in line with the four objectives of the Global Compact on refugees: to ease pressure on host countries; to enhance refugee self-reliance; to expand access to third country solutions; and to support conditions in countries of origin for return in safety and dignity<\/strong><\/span>.These pledges focused on education, inclusion, protection, climate action, healthcare, food systems security, child rights, gender equality, conflict prevention, preventing misinformation, meaningful refugee participation, and much more. They included approximately 1,300 financial, material, technical, policy, or other support pledges<\/strong><\/span>.[4]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

Still, there is much work to be done, and herein, Grandi argued, \u201cwe need to work together.\u201d<\/em>[5]<\/sup><\/a> In his message, Pope Francis<\/span><\/strong>, too, repeated his belief that, today, the world stands at a crucial moment in history in which we must choose \u201ceither the culture of humanity and fraternity, or the culture of indifference<\/span><\/strong>.\u201d Herein, \u201cwe should never forget that everyone should be free to choose whether or not to migrate. Everyone should have the opportunity to live a dignified life in their own country<\/strong><\/span>.\u201d[6]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

Cited sources:<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n