Celebrities get up-close and personal with refugee aid

Published September 20th, 2015 - 02:08 GMT

See rows of sagging tents in compounds ringed by razor wire, “temporary” cities now in their fourth year. Watch news of 71 refugees found dead in a truck in Austria, and harrowing images of tiny bodies washing up on European shores. Witness hundreds of tired people pressed against hastily erected border fences. Technology brings brutality into your home and the palms of your hand, turning human hardship into a spectator sport.

It's time to get off the bleachers and get in the game. (continue reading below)

Right now, there are 19.5 million refugees in the world, the greatest number in history - and half of them are children. So says a new UNICEF video fronted by actor Benedict Cumberbatch, the latest celebrity to use fame to boost the Syrian refugee cause. But Syrians make up just a third of that population adrift. People are fleeing from Libya and Iraq (wars), Afghanistan (rising food insecurity), and Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon (where chronic underfunding challenges the UNHCR’s ability to provide for overcrowded refugee camps). People attempt desperate border crossings in search of safety and economic stability.

Guardian columnist Alexander Betts has suggested that human migration is becoming a defining issue of this century.

The heartrending image of little Aylan Kurdi drowned on a Turkish beach was the tipping point for many to say khallas to watching from the sidelines. While world leaders meet to discuss the crisis, individuals are taking action that makes clear, "We see you, we hear you, help is coming".

What will you do to make a difference? This could be the biggest Ice Bucket Challenge of them all.

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Syrian actor Yasser al Azma opened his ranch outside of Damascus in 2013 to receive families displaced by violence in nearby Madaya. He was out of town when neighbors alerted him that people had settled in his gardens, his response was to have his doors unlocked and house heating fired up so the families could move into his house.

Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris wants to buy a Greek island to house 200,000 refugees. "It's a very simple solution," he told CNN, "All I need is permission to put people on this island. After that I don't need anything anymore. I'll pay for the island, I'll provide the jobs, I'll take care of all the logistics. I know I can do that.”

Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipilä offered his home northern Finland to house asylum seekers, available starting in 2016. "We should all take a look in the mirror and ask how we can help," Sipila told national broadcaster YLE. His government just doubled its estimate for the number of asylum seekers in country up to 30,000.

Irish singer/songwriter and activist Sir Bob Geldof offered to take four families into his homes in Kent and London, and support them until they are settled. “I look at [the refugee crisis] with profound shame and a monstrous betrayal of who we are and what we wish to be,” he said during an Irish radio interview.

Pope Francis offered apartments in two Vatican churches - one is St. Peter’s Basilica - to two refugee families, then called on the 120,000 Catholic parishes across the EU to do the same. The tiny city-state has less than 600 citizens. If it took in just six people, it's proportional to Germany accepting 800,000 refugees this year.

Stan Collymore, former Aston Villa striker, said he would look after a refugee family in his own Birmingham, England home. “Birmingham is a vibrant multicultural community,” he said. “I think our great club could and should do our bit to help.”

10,000 Icelanders offered to host Syrian refugees, thanks to a Facebook campaign set up by author Bryndis Bjorgvinsdottir after hearing that her government planned to accept just 50 migrants. In one day, more than 11,000 Icelanders (nearly 4% of Iceland’s population) offered up their homes, and urged their government to do more.

Many VIPs are jumping aboard the “sympathetic soundbite” train, offering to get personally involved - with conditions. Scotland's first minister Nicola Sturgeon joined those who say they would invite Syrians to live in their homes, but stressed it would have to be "part of a bigger wider, or organized approach". Empty promises, Nicola.

Simon Cowell has built a career by picking winners, he's as selective with his approach to charity. Moved by the death of little Aylan Kurdi, the X Factor boss donated £10,000 to the Syrian Refugee Crisis Appeal. There's talk of bringing Cowell face-to-face with the boy's father at the Pride of Britain Awards this month. That's entertainment?

Others are cooking up clever ways to help. Author Barbara Abdeni Massaad (pictured) and publisher Michel Moushabeck compiled a cookbook to raise money for refugees. Chefs Yotam Ottolenghi, Claudia Roden, and Sami Tamimi are among the 80+ foodies who contributed soup recipes. Proceeds from sales of the US edition of will go to food relief.

Scottish Olympian and one of the world's best tennis champs, Andy Murray announced he will donate £50 to refugee relief for every ace he scores until the end of this year. He partners with UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund that provides long-term assistance to children and mothers in developing countries.

Still others incite their industry peers to action. Authors Rosamund Lupton, Francesca Simon and Marian Keyes are a few of the literati who gave to a fund set up by children’s author Patrick Ness (pictured) which will be given to Save the Children. Ness matched the first £10,000 of donations, and in one week he raised more than £200,000.

Chelsea Football Club pledged to support refugees, following on the heels of EU clubs Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Porto. They contribute a portion of ticket sales, special jersey auctions, and "bucket collections" at matches to charity partner Plan International for refugee projects. As importantly, they raise fan awareness.

Syrian actor Yasser al Azma opened his ranch outside of Damascus in 2013 to receive families displaced by violence in nearby Madaya. He was out of town when neighbors alerted him that people had settled in his gardens, his response was to have his doors unlocked and house heating fired up so the families could move into his house.

Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris wants to buy a Greek island to house 200,000 refugees. "It's a very simple solution," he told CNN, "All I need is permission to put people on this island. After that I don't need anything anymore. I'll pay for the island, I'll provide the jobs, I'll take care of all the logistics. I know I can do that.”

Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipilä offered his home northern Finland to house asylum seekers, available starting in 2016. "We should all take a look in the mirror and ask how we can help," Sipila told national broadcaster YLE. His government just doubled its estimate for the number of asylum seekers in country up to 30,000.

Irish singer/songwriter and activist Sir Bob Geldof offered to take four families into his homes in Kent and London, and support them until they are settled. “I look at [the refugee crisis] with profound shame and a monstrous betrayal of who we are and what we wish to be,” he said during an Irish radio interview.

Pope Francis offered apartments in two Vatican churches - one is St. Peter’s Basilica - to two refugee families, then called on the 120,000 Catholic parishes across the EU to do the same. The tiny city-state has less than 600 citizens. If it took in just six people, it's proportional to Germany accepting 800,000 refugees this year.

Stan Collymore, former Aston Villa striker, said he would look after a refugee family in his own Birmingham, England home. “Birmingham is a vibrant multicultural community,” he said. “I think our great club could and should do our bit to help.”

10,000 Icelanders offered to host Syrian refugees, thanks to a Facebook campaign set up by author Bryndis Bjorgvinsdottir after hearing that her government planned to accept just 50 migrants. In one day, more than 11,000 Icelanders (nearly 4% of Iceland’s population) offered up their homes, and urged their government to do more.

Many VIPs are jumping aboard the “sympathetic soundbite” train, offering to get personally involved - with conditions. Scotland's first minister Nicola Sturgeon joined those who say they would invite Syrians to live in their homes, but stressed it would have to be "part of a bigger wider, or organized approach". Empty promises, Nicola.

Simon Cowell has built a career by picking winners, he's as selective with his approach to charity. Moved by the death of little Aylan Kurdi, the X Factor boss donated £10,000 to the Syrian Refugee Crisis Appeal. There's talk of bringing Cowell face-to-face with the boy's father at the Pride of Britain Awards this month. That's entertainment?

Others are cooking up clever ways to help. Author Barbara Abdeni Massaad (pictured) and publisher Michel Moushabeck compiled a cookbook to raise money for refugees. Chefs Yotam Ottolenghi, Claudia Roden, and Sami Tamimi are among the 80+ foodies who contributed soup recipes. Proceeds from sales of the US edition of will go to food relief.

Scottish Olympian and one of the world's best tennis champs, Andy Murray announced he will donate £50 to refugee relief for every ace he scores until the end of this year. He partners with UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund that provides long-term assistance to children and mothers in developing countries.

Still others incite their industry peers to action. Authors Rosamund Lupton, Francesca Simon and Marian Keyes are a few of the literati who gave to a fund set up by children’s author Patrick Ness (pictured) which will be given to Save the Children. Ness matched the first £10,000 of donations, and in one week he raised more than £200,000.

Chelsea Football Club pledged to support refugees, following on the heels of EU clubs Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Porto. They contribute a portion of ticket sales, special jersey auctions, and "bucket collections" at matches to charity partner Plan International for refugee projects. As importantly, they raise fan awareness.

Celebrities get up-close and personal with refugee aid

Stan Collymore, former Aston Villa striker, said he would look after a refugee family in his own Birmingham, England home. “Birmingham is a vibrant multicultural community,” he said. “I think our great club could and should do our bit to help.”

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