Source: United Nations (video statements)
Filippo Grandi has devoted more than three decades to easing the suffering of refugees: “My pride after all these years is that the center of this effort of my lifetime has been on people, and especially on the people that suffer most in the world, including refugees.”
Now, shortly before his term comes to an end, and as more than 117 million people worldwide remain forcibly displaced, the long-serving UN High Commissioner for Refugees is welcoming a rare moment of hope for one of the world’s largest refugee populations. “Home means your house, your family, your friends, your work, your school, and it is fantastic when, like in Syria […] people can go back to their homes. This is what most refugees want.”
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, not only helps those who flee war and persecution, but also those who choose to go home when peace returns. Appearing on Awake at Night for a second time, Filippo Grandi reflects on the dangers of divisive politics, the human cost of painful budget and staff cuts, and shares his hopes and dreams for life after the UN.
[00:00] Introduction
[01:22] A life devoted to people
[04:55] Why displacement has nearly doubled
[08:24] What peace really means
[10:51] The meaning of home
[12:54] Why hate-fueled narratives are dangerous
[16:13] When humanity shines
[18:07] What keeps Filippo awake at night
[24:37] The pain of letting colleagues go
[28:19] Watching refugees return home in hope
[31:15] Witnessing violence and unresolved conflicts
[32:57] Rage, indignation, and negotiation
[34:47] A life of service worth every sacrifice
[36:39] His next chapter
[40:07] His hope for the UN
[41:00] Geneva, City of Refuge
[42:50] “Don’t Lose Heart”: A final message to colleagues and listeners
[43:30] Closing remarks
Listen to more Awake at Night episodes: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwoDFQJEq_0b6hu1e8oxsch9W0D7vkNqt
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About Awake at Night
Hosted by Melissa Fleming, UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, the podcast ‘Awake at Night’ is an in-depth interview series focusing on remarkable United Nations staff members who dedicate their career to helping people in parts of the world where they have the hardest lives – from war zones and displacement camps to areas hit by disasters and the devastation of climate change.