Refugees International’s Advocacy Awards
The annual Advocacy Awards is a celebration to honor individuals who have shown extraordinary commitment to humanitarian action and the promotion of human rights.
This year’s virtual event highlighted leaders who are furthering gender equality and improving conditions for displaced women and girls worldwide.
Honoring
Nadia’s Initiative, 2021 McCall-Pierpaoli Award
Dr. Amani Ballour, 2021 Exceptional Service Award
Featuring
Nadia Murad, 2018 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate
Nadia Murad is a leading advocate for survivors of genocide and sexual violence and recipient of the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize. Nadia is the President and Chairwoman of Nadia’s Initiative, which actively works to persuade governments and international organizations to support the sustainable redevelopment of the Yazidi homeland, as well as survivors of sexual violence globally.
Dr. Amani Ballour, 2020 Raoul Wallenberg Prize Laureate and Syria’s “Cave Doctor”
Amani Ballour is a Syrian resident pediatrician who received the distinguished 2020 Raoul Wallenberg prize for her courage and humanitarian work as a doctor in a secret, underground hospital nicknamed “The Cave” during the siege of Eastern Ghouta, a suburb of Damascus. Her story is featured in the Oscar-nominated National Geographic documentary The Cave.
Melissa Fleming, Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, United Nations
Melissa Fleming is Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications at the United Nations. Ms. Fleming previously served the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) as its Head of Global Communications and Spokesperson for the High Commissioner. She is author of the book, A Hope More Powerful than the Sea, and host of the award-winning podcast, Awake at Night.
Emi Mahmoud, World Poetry Slam Champion and UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador
Emi Mahmoud is a two-time World Champion Poet, a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador, and was named one of BBC’s 100 Most Inspirational Women. She co-founded a Sickle Cell research initiative at age 19 lauded for its human-centric approach to building the advocacy network and public health apparatus of a historically marginalized community.
And a Special Guest Appearance from UNHCR Special Envoy Angelina Jolie!
Thank you to our generous sponsors.
Vanguard Circle
Elizabeth and Michael Galvin
Maureen White and Steven Rattner
Changemaker
Jan Weil and Amos Avgar
Katherine and David Bradley
Nina and Dino Saglimbeni
Visionary
Frederica and George Valanos
Irfan Kathwari Foundation
Benefactor
Anonymous
Anonymous
Anonymous
Joy Lian Alferness and Jonathan Alferness
Sarah Hogate Bacon
Max Greenberg
Vaithehi Muttulingam and Bala Cumaresan
Catherine Graham and Eric Schwartz
Cheryl Feigenson and Jeffrey Tindell
Alexia and Roderick von Lipsey, UBS Private Wealth Management
Eileen Shields-West and Robin West
Leader
Mary and Robert Haft
Diane and Michael Hawkins
Darya and Vali Nasr
Discovery, Inc.
Advisor
Anonymous in honor of Rosa Guerrero’s 20 years of service to Refugees International
Lisa Cantu-Parks and Ryan Parks
Marianne Gimon d’Ansembourg and Alessandro d’Ansembourg
Mariella and Michael Trager
Natacha and Anthony Weiss
Friend
Anonymous
Jeff Chansler
Elena Kvochko
Thank you to our Honorary Committee for their leadership on issues impacting displaced people worldwide.
Congresswoman Grace Meng
Senator Jeff Merkley
Congressman Seth Moulton
Senator Lisa Murkowski
Senator Christopher S. Murphy
Representative Joe Neguse
Representative Ilhan Omar
Senator Alex Padilla
Representative Lucille Roybal-Allard
Representative Jan Schakowsky
Senator Jeanne Shaheen
Representative Albio Sires
Senator Chris Van Hollen
Senator Mark R. Warner
Senator Ben Cardin
Senator Bob Casey
Representative Judy Chu
Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro
The Honorable Debbie Dingell
Representative Sara Jacobs
Representative Pramila Jayapal
Representative Ro Khanna
Senator Amy Klobuchar
The Honorable Patrick J. Leahy
Congresswoman Barbara Lee
Representative Zoe Lofgren
Senator Edward J. Markey
Representative James P. McGovern
Senator Bob Menendez