Live blog: Global Refugee Forum 2023 – Day 1

The curtain has fallen on the Nansen Refugee Award ceremony, which celebrated inspiring stories of unsung heroes helping refugees and other displaced people, with rousing musical performances from a host of talented artists. Global Laureate and refugee education champion Abdullahi Mire accepted his award "on behalf of all refugee children whose greatest desire is to thrive".

That brings our coverage of Day 1 at the Global Refugee Forum 2023 to a close. Join us again tomorrow for updates from Day 2.

“Being an internally displaced person or a refugee is never a choice, rather it is a result of leaders using violence to forcefully solve their own issues rather than finding a peaceful solution that would not result in the displacement of citizens,” said Nyakuma Peter Gatksuoth Riak, a South Sudanese refugee living in Uganda, addressing a session this afternoon on peacebuilding and conflict prevention. 

Riak founded “Together South Sudan”, a non-profit organization that aims to bring together South Sudanese tribes through reconciliation. “My passion has been bringing my divided people together, I have been providing voluntary trauma healing and reconciliation,” she said. 

Armed conflict not only forces people to flee their countries, it also prevents them from returning home in safety and dignity – one of the main objectives of the Global Compact on Refugees. Preventing and resolving conflicts is therefore a top priority for refugees and the focus of a new pledge led by Colombia, Egypt, Norway and the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA). 

“We want these territories that have suffered armed conflict for so long to be spaces for ‘the Good Life’, as we call it in Colombia,” said Francia Elena Márquez Mina, Vice President of the Republic of Colombia. 

“Inclusion into national systems isn't solely a matter of the present; it's an investment in a more promising future,” said Rez Gardi, a lawyer of Kurdish descent and co-managing director of R-SEAT (Refugees Seeking Equal Access at the Table), as she opened a packed side event this afternoon on the UN’s role in supporting refugee inclusion. 

“By offering education, healthcare, and employment, host countries empower refugees to make positive contributions to their communities, enriching the social tapestry and fostering a more inclusive and tolerant society.” 

At the GRF, 32 UN entities, 19 of which have made commitments at global level, stepped up their commitment to refugee inclusion under a UN common pledge 2.0 that builds on the achievements of a 2019 pledge. They agreed to support host countries’ efforts to include refugees in national systems such as health and education, and to boost refugees’ access to decent work. 

Helena Fraser of the UN Development Coordination Office, one of the pledge co-leads, said: “We recognize the enormous generosity of host countries, and the incredible resilience of those who are forced to leave home – whether because of war, climate change, poverty or other reasons. Ours is a support role, and with this pledge, we are making ourselves accountable to delivering on that role, as one, as best we can, to improve the lives of 51.6 million vulnerable people on the move today.” 

MADE51 was created by UNHCR in 2018 to create sustainable livelihoods for forcibly displaced people. A MADE51 “house” at the GRF features installation pieces and a pop-up shop showcasing the skills and craftmanship of refugee artisans.

The Global Refugee Forum is taking place against the backdrop of conflict in Gaza, and Philippe Lazzarini, the Commissioner-General of UNRWA – the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees – was invited to address the afternoon plenary session. He told delegates he had arrived in Geneva directly from Gaza, where he described conditions as “a living hell”.

“There is no more food to buy, even for those who can pay. In the shops, the shelves are empty,” he said. “Many of our staff, who are themselves displaced, take their children to work with them to ensure that they are safe together or die together.”

Lazzarini concluded by urging delegates to address the plight of millions of Palestinian refugees alongside those fleeing other global crises.

“Palestine refugees need a just solution, not just aid. Today, they feel abandoned by the international community,” he said. “The Global Refugee Forum represents the political will of the international community to affirm the human rights of all people fleeing wars and other crises, whether it is Syrian, Somali, Afghan or Palestinian,” he said.

For refugees, the crucial importance of education spans from primary school to university, as emphasized by Jackson Byiringiro, a Congolese refugee with the Connected Learning in Crisis Consortium (CLCC) who lives in Rwanda. During a side event at the Global Refugee Forum discussing the future of refugee students worldwide, Byiringiro stressed that personalized support is essential for refugees to navigate education systems in a new country, especially in areas that lack infrastructure, such as internet, electricity, or access to electronic devices. 

“Refugees need a lot more than just access,” he said, adding that after graduation, “universities should look beyond that and facilitate refugees’ access to employment pathways.” 

Ahead of the Forum, High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi talked to Opira Bosco Okot, a South Sudanese refugee and graduate of UNHCR’s refugee journalism programme, about some of the key goals of the GRF.

“Global challenges require global alliances.”

🔴 Watch this insightful conversation between UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi and UNHCR’s journalism programme mentee Opira Bosco Okot ahead of the Global #RefugeeForum. pic.twitter.com/P05v5btop5

— UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency (@Refugees) December 13, 2023

Kamikawa Yoko, Minister of Foreign Affairs for Japan, another co-convenor of the Forum, expressed her conviction that it was time to take a more forward-looking approach to forced displacement.

“We can’t improve the situation merely by providing food, water and shelter,” she said. “I believe we all must envision a future where every refugee and displaced person can talk about their dreams and have opportunities to work hard to make their dreams come true.”

She described some of the programmes around that world that Japan supports to help refugees – women in particular – to become more independent through education and vocational training. “We strongly encourage them to develop their abilities so they can contribute to peace and reconstruction at home,” she said.

She concluded by emphasizing the urgent need for conflict resolution. “UNHCR can help save people’s lives and ease some of their suffering, but it cannot resolve conflict. [That] is the responsibility of politicians such as myself, and many others here today.”

Francia Elena Márquez Mina, Vice President of Colombia, one of the co-convenors of the Forum, expressed her country’s ongoing commitment to addressing forced displacement. She noted that Colombia has the largest number of internally displaced people in the world – 6.9 million – due to internal armed conflict. She described her own experience of having to flee her home with her two children because her environmental work had made her a target for armed groups.

“Culturally speaking, Colombians are very much rooted to our land, this means that uprooting us not only affects us physically, but also spiritually and emotionally. This constitutes chronic suffering,” she said.

She noted that Colombia is also host to some 3 million Venezuelans, 2 million of which have benefited from a special migratory status that ensures they can access education, healthcare and other services. In addition, she added, “We face a migration crisis in the Darien Corridor [between Colombia and Panama] where 500,000 have crossed this year, from 100 nationalities.”

She called for more resources and shared responsibility to help Colombia grapple with the situation.

In his opening statement to the Forum, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi pointed to the fact that 114 million people worldwide are now forcibly displaced – including 36.4 million refugees – a figure he described as “a crisis of humanity". 

“This is why this Global Refugee Forum is timely: because it is an opportunity for all of us to re-commit to some basic actions needed to respond to forced displacement: protecting people forced to flee, and sharing the responsibility of those who host them; ensuring that refugees are empowered to contribute to communities and nations that give them refuge; redoubling efforts to resolve their exile; and striving to tackle the root causes of their flight,” Grandi said. 

Despite numerous unresolved crises and challenges around the world, the High Commissioner noted that much progress has been made since the first Forum in 2019 and expressed his hope that the second GRF would spur further cooperation. 

“Let us make this Global Refugee Forum a moment of unity, in which all of us join forces to ensure that those who flee because their life, freedom and security are threatened can find protection; and that everything is done to resolve their exile as soon as possible,” he said. 

“Imagine how it feels to be chased out of home.”

📢 UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Cate Blanchett and Ke Huy Quan just opened the Global #RefugeeForum with a performance of @JJ_Bola’s stunning poem “Refuge.” pic.twitter.com/Sem5BTW8tb

— UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency (@Refugees) December 13, 2023

The Global Refugee Forum is the world’s largest gathering on refugee issues, but why is it happening now and what does it hope to achieve?

To find out, read our handy explainer article and watch the video below:

You can also read this opinion article by UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi, setting out his vision for the Forum as a moment of global unity at a time of multiple conflicts and record forced displacement.
 
For a deeper look at the issues at stake, read our GRF coverage on themes such as employment, qualifications, legal aid, inclusion, climate action and the role of the private sector.

Here are the highlights to look out for on the first day (all times in CET):

• Opening plenary session (from 09:10) – opening remarks from co-hosts UNHCR and Switzerland and the five co-convenors – Colombia, France, Japan, Jordan and Uganda – followed by a joint refugee statement and high-level pledge announcements.
• High-level side events (13:30-15:00) – panel discussions on topics including entrepreneurship and employment, refugee education, and solutions in Central America and Mexico.
• UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi’s news conference (14:30 pm)
• Afternoon plenary session (from 15:00) – high-level interventions from national delegations and further pledge announcements.
• UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award ceremony (from 19:00) – showcasing this year’s award winners and featuring live musical performances.

You can view the full programme here.