Season’s greetings from the team at A ustralia for UNHCR

With the holiday season fast approaching, we want to thank you for your support and generosity this year. You've helped people enduring war in Ukraine and Sudan, earthquake survivors in Syria, Türkiye and Afghanistan and flood victims in Libya. Thank you for standing with refugees and remembering them, year after year.
This month,Australia for UNHCR Ambassador Peter Gould was in Dubai for the COP28 Climate Summit. At this year’s event, refugees spoke out about how climate change is driving displacement and making life harder for those already forced to flee. UNHCR is calling for more support for refugees and displaced people in countries on the frontline of the climate crisis.
The Global Refugee Forum (GRF) took place in Geneva last week. Held every four years, it is the world’s largest gathering focused on supporting refugees and the countries hosting them. The GRF emphasises responsibility sharing, recognising that sustainable solutions to the refugee crisis demand robust international cooperation. We look forward to updating you on the Forum’s outcomes in our next issue.
Across Ukraine, heavy snowfall and plummeting temperatures are now causing significant challenges. With your help, UNHCR is distributing cash assistance, thermal clothing and heating appliances to help families survive the bitter cold. Read more about how your gift can support vulnerable families as they face a second winter at war.
We’re pleased to share a story about the Asia Pacific regional winners of the 2023 UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award given to those who go above and beyond to protect refugees and internally displaced and stateless people. Four talented Rohingya photographers were recognised for sharing stories about the plight of their people living in Cox’s Bazar, the world’s largest refugee camp.
Summer holidays are a great time to encourage children to read. Books are a perfect way to introduce difficult topics in an age-appropriate manner. Here are eight stories to inspire meaningful conversations with children about the challenges faced by people forced to flee.
Finally, we share with you five moments that made us smile in 2023. We hope you enjoy reading some of our highlights from the year, from Anyier Yuol winning the Les Murray Award, to refugee children’s involvement in the FIFA Women’s World Cup.