Who are Refugees?

Better Angels with Sarah Brown

Sarah Brown speaks to Lord Alf Dubs, Gulwali Passarlay, Melissa Fleming and David Morrissey about the representation of refugees. Millions of words have been spoken and written about refugees but how many of these have been positive? This episode is about the survivors, battlers and new pioneers and explores why refugees are so often feared rather than celebrated.

Sarah and guests explore the courage and humanity of the individuals behind the headlines. The families forced to pack up and flee danger at a moment’s notice. Those making a new life for their family in a strange place whilst caring passionately about their homeland. Those taking on any work to bring in an income and making safety and education for their children the greatest priority.

Lord Alf Dubs is a Member of the House of Lords in the UK and in 2016 sponsored an amendment to the Immigration Act to offer unaccompanied refugee children safe passage to Britain amidst the European migrant crisis. Gulwali Passarlay is an Afghan refugee currently residing in the UK, he is an activist for refugee rights and author of The Lightless Sky where he tells his own story of being forced to leave Afghanistan at the age of twelve. Melissa Fleming is Chief Spokesperson at UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency and author of "A Hope More Powerful than the Sea", the story of Doaa, a girl from Syria, who in 2015 crammed onto a fishing boat setting sail for Europe. Melissa's book is being made into a film produced by Steven Spielberg and J.J. Abrams. David Morrissey is an actor, director and producer and Ambassador for the United Nations Refugee Agency, and using his high profile for good by supporting refugees and other marginalised communities.