The pictures coming out of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine are chilling, similar to images of devastated cities from the Second World War. The last major war in Europe established a world order that has last 70 years; it removed brutal autocratic dictators and established the supremacy of western liberal democracies. It also spawned the International Refugee Convention, which provides protection for people fleeing conflict or persecution. There are now more than 84 million displaced people across the globe, the highest number in history. It is no accident that the world is again seeing regressive autocracies on the rise again—driving the numbers of refugees up. The conflict in Ukraine has galvanised the West to stand up to autocratic regimes. The question remains: will it give impetus to the search for solutions to the global refugee crisis?
Refugee Heroes tells the compelling stories of some of the people who have fled situations of conflict and violence that are largely the result of autocracy.
