Video: UAE’s campaign throws light on the plight of refugees

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has launched its new global campaign in Ramadan called ‘Be The Light,’ that brings to life the journey of refugees in their efforts to find safety.

The global campaign, created locally in the UAE for the first time, follows the stories of three individual refugees - Bilal, Salem, and Amina – and their struggles to get to safety after being displaced from their homes.

The concept focuses on how people are often told to look forward, that the past is behind them, and that their future is bright.

It highlights how for a refugee that hope may be fading as they cling onto memories and look far back to when times were often better.

The campaign encourages people to ‘Be The Light’ to refugees through their support during the holy month of Ramadan.

As of today, there are nearly 68.5 million  people forcibly displaced, which is more than the population of the United Kingdom.

At present, 25.4 million  of those are refugees under UNHCR care, who will spend on average 17 years in a refugee camp.

Omer Elnaiem, Head of Campaigns and Advocacy MENA, UNHCR, said: “We want refugees to have the opportunity to look forward. At UNHCR, we are dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for refugees. The number of refugees is growing faster than the world’s ability to respond. This Ramadan, we are urging people to Be The Light by donating during the holy month to help refugees look forward.”

UNHCR appointed Hill+Knowlton Strategies (H+K) to develop the 2019 campaign.

Elias Markopoulos, Head of The Studio, Hill+Knowlton Strategies MENA said: “We wanted to create a campaign that brought to life the emotional and physical journey a refugee experiences to find safety. We are extremely proud to partner with UNHCR to produce expressive content that further highlights social issues and truly place human stories at the heart of what we do.”

The short 90 second film will be aired on OSN and TV stations around the world, online and across social media channels in a bid to raise awareness and donations during the holy month of Ramadan.