Actor, director and International Rescue Committee ambassador Romola Garai has said it’s ‘more important than ever’ to make refugees feel welcome after a visit to a secondary school in West Sussex. 

In 2015 world leaders gathered at the United Nations in New York made an audacious pledge. They vowed to work together to create a world in which there was: no poverty, zero hunger, good health and wellbeing, quality education, action on climate change, and gender equality.

2023 has been a turbulent year, and the IRC predicts humanitarian crises like Gaza and Sudan will worsen in 2024. But while the headlines worldwide may be dire, there are still many positive stories and uplifting moments from 2023 worth remembering.

Over 5 million Syrians have been forced to flee their homes, searching for safety in neighbouring countries and in Europe. As crisis continues, the International Rescue Committee is working inside Syria, across the region and in Europe to support those people to live a life worth living. Here are the stories of Syrians who work for the IRC.

Learn more about how the IRC is delivering lifesaving aid to Palestinians, and what you can do to help.