Global Figures Mark 75 Years of Refugee Convention with Appeal to Protect Asylum

GENEVA — Seventy-five public figures have joined the United Nations refugee agency in calling for renewed commitment to the 1951 Refugee Convention on the 75th anniversary of its adoption.

The initiative, called "The Promise," brings together faith leaders, artists, athletes, business figures, Nobel laureates and refugee advocates in support of the right to seek asylum and obtain protection from persecution, conflict and violence.

Initial signatories include Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally, Angelina Jolie, Cate Blanchett, Ben Stiller, Michelle Yeoh, Riz Ahmed, Malala Yousafzai, Nadia Murad, Denis Mukwege and former Liberian president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

The Refugee Convention was opened for signature on 28 July 1951 following the mass displacement caused by the Second World War. It established the central legal framework through which people recognised as refugees receive international protection.

Together with its 1967 Protocol, the Convention has been ratified by 149 states. UN High Commissioner for Refugees Barham Salih said it had saved millions of lives and remained an essential expression of shared responsibility.

The anniversary comes as governments tighten asylum rules and seek additional measures to deter irregular migration. Human-rights organisations warn that some policies may weaken access to protection or attempt to avoid obligations contained in the Convention.

States have a legitimate responsibility to manage borders, verify claims and maintain public confidence in asylum systems. The Convention provides a framework for doing so while protecting people with a well-founded need for international protection.

The refugee system is also facing severe financial pressure. UNHCR said it was only 31% funded at the end of June, limiting services for refugees and host communities.

The Promise is intended to build public and institutional support through to the 2027 Global Refugee Forum. Its success will depend not merely on prominent signatures, but on practical commitments involving asylum access, legal assistance, safe reception, resettlement and support for countries hosting large refugee populations.

The anniversary therefore serves both as a commemoration and a warning: the international system created after the Second World War remains essential, but its protections cannot operate without political will and adequate resources.