Actress Cate Blanchett, goodwill ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, urged the European Union to increase support for refugees and host countries and to ensure the bloc's policies focus on "protecting them, not on fortifying borders." The Oscar-winning star, who was appointed as the commission's goodwill ambassador in 2016, told the European Parliament in Brussels on Wednesday: "You have to understand that no one puts their children in a boat unless the sea is safer than the land."
She added, "I thank the EU for its long-term financial support for refugees and their hosts worldwide, and I urge continued and increased support. The world is watching." Blanchett's call comes as the EU seeks to reform asylum and migration rules to curb illegal immigration. This also coincides with member states trying to establish their own agreements, as Rome announced on Monday that it would build centers in Albania to host migrants crossing the sea attempting to reach Italy.
Blanchett noted that a record 114 million people have been displaced from their homes worldwide due to violence, conflict, persecution, and human rights violations. She stated, "With the number of potential displaced persons reaching its highest level ever, flexible humanitarian funding is more urgent than ever." She continued, "Invest in education and livelihoods to ensure families have opportunities wherever they are so they don’t have to move. No one will benefit from a generation of displaced and marginalized youth."
