Statement: High Commissioner Filippo Grandi’s message on World Refugee Day 2025

Record numbers of men, women and children – over 122 million people worldwide – have been uprooted from their homes, but their ability to find safety and support is threatened as never before. 

The abject failure to end conflicts – from Sudan to Ukraine, from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Gaza – continues to create untold human suffering. Yet the innocent people who run for their lives as the bullets fly and the missiles rain down are unjustly stigmatized, making it harder to escape danger and to find somewhere to recover and rebuild.

To make a desperate position worse, brutal cuts to humanitarian aid are choking off assistance, threatening the lives of millions of people who desperately need help.

At this critical juncture, it is vital that we reaffirm our solidarity with refugees – not just with words but with urgent action. Thankfully, there is no shortage of examples to inspire us: the countries on the edges of war zones that continue to welcome and host refugees; the local communities that open their homes, workplaces and hearts to displaced people; and the countless individual acts of kindness and compassion that reveal our common humanity. 

In many cases, this support can be found among people with few resources to share, and in places facing major economic challenges. From wealthier states to development banks to businesses and many others, we can and must support these countries and communities by sharing the responsibility for protecting refugees. Such acts of solidarity would enable this generosity to continue.

Even in these turbulent times, there are moments of profound hope. This World Refugee Day, I am in Syria where, after 14 years of crisis and despair, two million people have already chosen to return to their homes and communities since the fall of the Assad regime last December. In a region that has suffered so much violence – and suffers even now – we are nonetheless presented with an opportunity to help Syrians achieve stability and prosperity. We must not let it pass by.

Today, I met Syrian families who have returned after more than a decade as refugees. Their deep joy at being among familiar faces and surroundings – despite the many challenges – is a poignant reminder of the yearning refugees feel for home.

Such moments are only made possible through solidarity: the solidarity shown by countries neighbouring Syria that provide a haven for people until they feel it is safe to return; the solidarity shown by Syrian communities who are welcoming their compatriots back after a long and painful absence; and the solidarity shown by my UNHCR colleagues and their local and international partners, who are here to support returning families and will remain by their side as they rebuild their homes and lives.

Now more than ever, we must stand with refugees to keep alive their hopes of a better future. This World Refugee Day and every day, governments, institutions, companies and individuals can prove that by helping those caught up in senseless conflicts, we move towards greater stability, humanity and justice for us all. If we do so, I can promise you that refugees will bring all their courage, spirit and ingenuity to the task of creating a better, brighter tomorrow.