During the Oscars 2023 on Sunday, all eyes were on Hollywood as the entertainment industry gathered to celebrate the year in film, and stars used that international platform to draw attention to a very important issue.
A number of celebrities wore blue ribbons pinned to their necklines which were printed with the hashtag “#WithRefugees.” The accessory, created in partnership with the UN Refugee Agency’s Coalition, is meant to be an “emblem of compassion and solidarity” with refugees, displaced people, and those who have been forced to flee their homes because of war, conflict, and persecution. According to the agency’s website, “The Coalition members showcase practical ways of supporting refugees, especially in education, shelter, and employment. With its diverse membership, the Coalition helps amplify a global message of tolerance and inclusion.”
Diane Warren attends the 94th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland on March 27, 2022 in Hollywood, California. By Mike Coppola/Getty Images.
The Oscars wasn’t the first award show where these ribbons made an appearance. The public awareness initiative first launched at the BAFTAs on stars like Angela Bassett, Cate Blanchett, Collin Farrell, Paul Mescal, Sophie Turner, and Michelle Yeoh. Last month, Jamie Lee Curtis said of her decision to wear one of the ribbons to the award show, “My friend Cate Blanchett is asking people to remind us all in the midst of all the season of shiny things that, of course, there are terrible refugee crises going on all over the world everywhere all at once, and we need to do our part.”
Blanchett is a goodwill ambassador for the UN Refugee Agency’s Coalition along with Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Syrian swimmer Yusra Mardini. The debut of these ribbons comes shortly after the deadly earthquakes that hit Turkey and Syria, killing over 44,000 people and displacing many more. The UNHCR says that there are currently more than 103 million forcibly displaced people around the world. In a statement from the coalition at the time, Mardini wrote, “It’s really incredible to see so many artists wear a blue ribbon tonight in solidarity with refugees and displaced people around the world. My people—and so many others—are hurting. They need our support. We all need peace.”