George And Amal Clooney Meet Syrian Refugees
George and Amal Clooney have used the fifth anniversary of the Syrian revolution to meet refugees, speaking to people from the country about their experiences.
The Syrian conflict has displaced at least 4.8 million people internationally, and 6.6 million internally, according to Mercy Corps stats.
Copyright [IRC]
In a video released by the International Rescue Committee, the couple, who have been working to try and get Governments to act in the crisis, met with Syrian families in Berlin.
Sharing her own family’s experiences during the meeting in Germany, which was led by David Miliband, Amal said: “My own family is from Lebanon. They also ran away from a war and was lucky enough to be expected by a European country in 1982 when the violence there was really bad.
“Many years later, my family is doing well. My father has returned to Beirut. I hope you will be able to go back to a safe and free Syria.”
George spoke directly about the Syrian crisis as well as sharing his own family story.
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According to The Independent, he said: “You forget that these are people who didn’t just leave their country for no reason at all. These are people who left because a terrible tragedy.
“We always look around at the end of these tragedies and say if we knew, we would have done something and the reality is, of course we know.
“What is shocking to me is not that it happened, but it’s continuing to happen for five years.”
After the meeting, George said: “It was an honour to meet three Syrian families whose lives have been shattered by war and inspiring to learn that the people of Germany are helping them put their lives back together.”
Copyright [IRC]
President and CEO of the IRC, David Miliband, added: “As peace talks hang in the balance, the stories of these families should drive not just humanitarian help, but renewed determination to bring the Syrian war to an end.”
