* Any views expressed in this opinion piece are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters Foundation.
Each year, on 20 June, the world focuses on the plight of those who are forced to flee their homes due to conflicts or natural disasters. The figures are staggering: today, about 60 million people worldwide are either refugees or displaced within their own country. Their survival depends on the assistance provided by local communities and international organisations.
The European Union is a global leading donor of humanitarian aid. In 2016, the EU is providing over €1 billion in life-saving humanitarian assistance for refugees all over the world. This funding allows refugees to meet their most pressing needs (including access to shelter, food, health care, sanitation, and education) and helps increase their self-reliance while reducing their dependency on international assistance.
The #SupportRefugees campaign, spearheaded by the European Commission with the support of UEFA, the European football’s governing body, and the International Federation of Professional Footballers (FIFPro), aims to increase awareness of the EU's vital humanitarian aid to refugees worldwide and encourages solidarity for their situation. Two international football stars, Marouane Fellaini and Anja Mittag, have donated their time to the campaign as goodwill ambassadors.
EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides introduces the campaign and explains why this is a story that needs to be heard.
Why did the European Commission decide to launch the #SupportRefugees campaign?
It is part of the Commission’s job to inform the public about what the European Union is doing in their name. The refugee crisis is one of biggest issues facing Europe. Every day, it seems that there is more ‘tough news’ on the subject. But every day, thousands of positive stories about what the EU is doing to support refugees go unreported and unnoticed. World Refugee Day gives us an opportunity to talk about the life-saving work we are doing on the ground with our humanitarian partners.
Why in your opinion much of the news about refugees has a negative slant?
We are helping refugees, who have been forced to flee their homes due to conflict, persecution or natural disaster. Some 60 million men, women and children are currently displaced worldwide. They need help, protection and long-lasting solutions. The European Union is giving over one billion euros a year for humanitarian assistance to support them. This funding is vital, providing access to shelter, food, healthcare, sanitation, education and other essential services. But even if our humanitarian assistance is providing dignity to millions of refugees worldwide, resources can never cover these overwhelming needs. Just one picture of a refugee suffering can be enough to explain such a negative slant.
The launch of the campaign coincides with the EURO 2016 football championship. Was this done on purpose?
The main reason we’re launching the campaign now is to tie in with World Refugee Day that falls during the championship. In addition, sport – and especially football – has a strong heritage of promoting good causes and positive social messages. But we also felt that the championship could help us to reach a much bigger audience.
Is that why you teamed up with two football stars, Marouane Fellaini and Anna Mittag, for the campaign?
We believe that the footballers – who have given their time freely for the campaign – will help us to spread the word about the positive and important work the EU is doing to support refugees. Both players are very committed to our cause. You can see that from the campaign video which they filmed in Manchester with refugee children. We are hugely grateful to the players and children for their support. I’d also like to thank UEFA, FIFPro (the professional players’ union), Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain for backing the #SupportRefugees campaign.
* Any views expressed in this article are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters Foundation.
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