UK for UNHCR Launches Refugee Ribbon Appeal Asking Britons to Stand with Refugees 

UK for UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency’s national charity partner, is calling on people across the UK to show their support and raise vital funds for refugees this May. The Refugee Ribbon Appeal invites everyone who stands with refugees to donate and wear a blue ribbon with the words #WithRefugees as a symbol of compassion and solidarity.    

The appeal asks people to join a movement alongside other supporters, including actor and UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador David Morrissey. Every donation to the appeal will help refugees by funding UNHCR’s lifesaving work around the world. 

David Morrissey, actor and UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador, said: 

“I’m an actor, so my job is to imagine other people’s lives – but sometimes even I have to question myself: if this was me, how would I cope? The plight of many refugees I meet is simply unimaginable to me. My Refugee Ribbon signifies that I stand in solidarity with people who’ve lost everything.” 

The appeal is being launched at a time when there are more than 122 million forcibly displaced people, due to conflict, persecution and human rights violations. In many parts of the world, from Myanmar and Sudan to Ukraine, families are being uprooted from their homes in search of safety, protection and hope. 

Recently, the devastating earthquake that hit Myanmar in March has impacted a staggering 17.2 million people, including 2.1 million people who were already displaced due to the ongoing conflict in the country. UNHCR has been supporting displaced people in Myanmar for over two decades, and teams are on the ground providing lifesaving assistance. To date, UNHCR has assisted almost 58,000 individuals affected by the earthquake – or over 11,600 families – by distributing essential items such as blankets, mosquito nets and shelter kits. 

In Sudan, two years since the start of the conflict, UNHCR continues to respond to what is now the world’s largest displacement crisis. In 2024, UNHCR provided assistance to over 837,000 refugees and asylum-seekers, and over 650,000 internally displaced and host communities. This included emergency shelter, healthcare, drinking water, specialist protection services and basic relief items. 

However, UNHCR’s vital humanitarian work is affected by severe cuts in global humanitarian funding. Millions of displaced families worldwide are already losing lifesaving aid as vital health, education and resettlement programmes are being forced to shut down.  

Maysara, a university student in the UK who was forced to flee the conflict in Syria when he was just 13 years old, said: 

“Wearing a ribbon tells forcibly displaced people that you see the human beings beyond the numbers and headlines and recognise our common humanity.”   

Emma Cherniavsky, CEO of UK for UNHCR, added:  

“We can sometimes feel powerless in the face of the suffering and injustice we see on the news. The Refugee Ribbon Appeal is a way for people to make a real difference in the lives of displaced people. Together, wearing our Refugee Ribbons with pride, we can show refugees that they are seen, valued and not alone.”   

UK for UNHCR is encouraging people to donate, wear their Refugee Ribbon throughout May and share photos online using the hashtag #WithRefugees.  

To learn more about the appeal visit unrefugees.org.uk/takeastand 

ENDS

Notes to Editor 

For more information, please contact Isabelle Gius, [email protected]  

Photos are available here. 

About UK for UNHCR:    

UK for UNHCR is the UN Refugee Agency’s national charity partner for the UK. We build solidarity, create partnerships and raise funds across the UK to help deliver global humanitarian relief for refugees through UNHCR’s work. unrefugees.org.uk    

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, leads international action to protect people forced to flee their homes because of conflict and persecution. It delivers lifesaving assistance like shelter, food and water, helps safeguard fundamental human rights and develops solutions that ensure people have a safe place to call home where they can build a better future. UNHCR also works to ensure that stateless people are granted a nationality. www.unhcr.org   

UK for UNHCR is a registered charity in England and Wales (registered charity number 1183415).