A woman in a bright red dress and cardi standing outside a shop. She is look up to the sky, somewhat smiling. Her hair is a light shade of pink

Dear colleagues and partners,

As we approach the end of the year and have just marked the anniversary of the Global Refugee Forum (GRF) 2023, it is tempting and natural to reflect on what has happened in the last 12 months and look forward to the coming year.

Anyone who was worried about a post-Forum lull has had their fears disproven. Since the beginning of the year, over 250 new pledges have been made, more than 150 pledges have been fulfilled, and many more have reported progress. Preparations are already well underway for the High-Level Officials Meeting, which will take place in December 2025, and will increase throughout next year.

All of this is because of the determination and strong spirit of the amazing stakeholders of the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR). They’re bringing about real change for the millions of displaced people and the communities that host them around the world.

Despite the myriad challenges thrown at them since the first Forum in 2019 – be it a worldwide pandemic, multiple conflicts, the devastating impacts of climate change, and shrinking resources – our stakeholders defy the odds and continue to implement the pledges they have made.

So, this December, we have instead decided to reflect on some promises made at the first Global Refugee Forum in 2019, that have been fulfilled this year and how, in keeping their word, these stakeholders are helping to future-proof systems any one of us may one day rely on.

More recent commitments are also coming to life, including Brazilian companies uniting to employ 17,000 refugees, a GRF Network in Japan launching a National Refugee Support Initiative, and the sport world hard at work on the Sport for Inclusion and Protection Multi-stakeholder Pledge. Amidst these encouraging signs of progress, we revisit interviews by refugee journalism mentees, whose hopes for the future, shared at GRF 2023, chart the path for a more inclusive tomorrow.

For further inspiration, the GCR Digital Platform has information on hundreds of projects being carried out, whether the good practice collection for inspiring, re-creatable programmes, the stakeholder hubs highlighting the works of the different groups, or the news and stories section celebrating fulfilled pledges – it is a website full of hope for the future.

By sharing your successes, the platform is becoming a repository of knowledge that can encourage others to take action. We invite you to check out our guide for creating content for the Digital Platform and to submit your own good practices to further build this legacy of innovation and collaboration, for many years to come.

The Global Compact on Refugees Coordination Team

A woman smiling, looking off to the side. Behind her is a plant or tree wtih giant leaves

Worth the wait: how past promises are building a sustainable future

By continuing to implement pledges from GRF 2019, GCR stakeholders are securing a better future for everyone.

Find out more →

Group photo of youths in sports clothes - they are standing in a line in yellow shirts, with an adult in the middle in a red shirt. They all have their arms folded and are looking at the camera

Transforming lives through sport: one year on from the Global Refugee Forum 2023

How the sporting world has been turning their commitments into action this year, already reaching over 445,000 displaced people.

A woman sitting at a desk in an office, with a lanyard round her neck. She is looking at the camera and smiling

Brazilian companies pledge job opportunities for 17,000 refugees

Companies and private organizations from Brazil are delivering on their GRF 2023 commitment to directly impact the lives of more than 17,000 refugees by the end of 2027.

A group photo of 13 people. There is a projector screen behind them. A few are sitting down, with the rest standing behind them.

"Japan Global Refugee Forum Network" kicks off and launches National Refugee Support Initiative

The inaugural "Japan Global Refugee Forum Network Meeting" marked the launch of a network that will monitor progress on Japan’s pledges and aims to strengthen collaboration among stakeholders.

Linked event with tree planting by religious leaders in solidarity with refugees at the Global Refugee Forum 2023 - a group of religious leaders standing around three potted trees

Multi-Religious Council of Leaders – reaffirming faith-based actors’ commitment to the GCR

On 3 December, Religions for Peace and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency met with the Multi-Religious Council of Leaders to welcome its new members and begin its second tenure leading up to the Global Refugee Forum 2027.

Refugee Journalism mentees at the GRF

Interviews with refugee journalists, discussing flexible financing, sustainable solutions, and digital connectivity and their hopes for the future.

Video still from the interview showing a man speaking with a plant and blue backdrop behind him

Journalism mentee Hala Haj Taleb interviewing Dr. Abdulkareem Al Olama, CEO of Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, to talk about sustainable solutions for refugees and host communities and why the global business community must pledge more support. Watch the interview.

A video still showing the interviewer and interviewee in black and white, sitting on two chairs, with the words "In Conversation" overlaid

Journalism mentee Jean Marie Ishimwe interviewing Judith Lingeman, Director of International Affairs at the Postcode Lottery Group, to talk about the positive impact of flexible funding for organizations supporting and working with refugees. Watch the interview.

Journalism mentee Ayuen Isaac interviewing Lisa Felton, Director of Vodafone Foundation, to talk about UNHCR’s #InstantNetworkSchools programme, which provides digital education to over 270,000 students in six countries. Watch the interview.

Good practice highlights

A group of people sitting in a circle on the floor holding their hands up in the air

Cross-border Opportunities for Migration, Peace, and Self-Sustenance (COMPASS)

Providing livelihoods and protection, improving service delivery, and contributing to refugees' and returnees' path towards durable solutions

Inside a group session - it looks a bit like a classroom, with people at desks but also standing up, they are laughing and doing exercises together

Community Psycho-Social Supporters (CPS) Training Workshop for Refugees

a pioneer in MHPSS capacity building that trains refugees of different backgrounds and languages in an urbanized context.

Find out more →

Farming on a dry landscape - women are digging large holes in the ground

Integrating refugee self-reliance with environmental protection in Niger

Rehabilitating pastoral land and providing food and water for displaced populations, host communities and their animals, while supporting access to integrated basic services.

Asylum Lived Experience Advisory Panel

An independent platform for individuals with lived experience to discuss the impact of policies on their asylum journey. ALEAP raises queries through the Asylum Strategic Engagement Group to influence the decision-making of the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

From our stakeholders...

Here are just a few of the great resources we have seen recently:

Uganda’s welcome allows Congolese refugees to thrive | UNHCR
GRF Legal Community Pledge: 2020 – 2023 Impact Report | PILnet
Central Asia’s commitments to the Global Compact on Refugees - English and Russian
Summary of the Joint Roundtable on Humanitarian-Development- Peace (HDP) Nexus and Agriculture, Food Systems, and Food Security Multistakeholder Pledge (MSP) Initiatives

Inspire & contribute: share your Good Practice

We share good practices from GCR stakeholders in each of our newsletters. If you would like to have the chance to see your work featured here, you may be interested in sharing a good practice on the theme of solutions for our December newsletter.