Cate Blanchett

THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE INTERVIEWS THE ACTRESS ON THE REFUGEE CRISIS.

- David Miliband

The refugee crisis is a defining challenge of our age. Sixty-five million people have been forced from their homes by civil wars around the world. Twenty-two million have crossed borders and thus become refugees. They come from places like Syria, Afghanistan, and South Sudan. They are living in ramshackle conditions in Kenya, Ethiopia, Jordan, and Lebanon. They are victims of terror. More than half of them are children.

Americans have big hearts and know the value of freedom and security. People often say charity begins at home; I say that it should not end there. But there is also a good strategic reason to help: If we don’t, the result is instability. Close allies like Jordan are struggling to support hundreds of thousands of refugees. The failure to provide proper aid has brought the crisis to Europe’s shores. And what could be more inviting to extremist groups than refugee children with nothing to do and no hope for the future?

As president of the International Rescue Committee, I know how vital our work is. The IRC was founded by Albert Einstein in New York in 1933; the needs now are greater than at any time since World War II. And at a moment when governments are threatening to reduce support, we are more dependent than ever on private generosity—and the bravery and commitment of people using their voices to draw attention to the crisis at hand. Which is why I was so eager to chat with Cate Blanchett.