UNHCR Chief: 'More People Fled Last Year Than at Any Other Time in Our Records'

In a video statement released on June 20 to mark World Refugee Day, António Guterres, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, said that more people had fled conflict as refugees than at any other time in the organisation’s records.

Since the beginnings of civilization, we have treated refugees as deserving of our protection…yet today, some of the wealthiest among us are challenging this ancient principle, casting refugees as gate crashers, job seekers or terrorists," says Guterres. “This is a dangerous course of action, short-sighted, morally wrong, and – in some cases – in breach of international obligations.” Credit: UNHCR