Director-General's remarks at the Reception in honour of Mr. Filippo Grandi

Reception in Honour of Mr. Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, organized by the Diplomatic Club of Geneva

Thursday, 3 July 2025 at 6.30 p.m.
Domaine de Collex

Mr. President of the Diplomatic Club of Geneva [M. Raymond Loretan],
Mr. President of the Fondation pour Genève [M. Marc Pictet],
Ambassador Lauber,
Mr. Grandi,
Excellencies, 
Ladies and gentlemen,
Dear friends,

It is a pleasure to join you this evening. I would like to sincerely thank the Diplomatic Club of Geneva for organizing this event and for bringing together, once again, the international community of Geneva.

This evening, we honor Filippo Grandi, a distinguished leader whose tireless advocacy for refugees has deeply marked our global efforts to respond to some of the most pressing humanitarian challenges of our time. Throughout his tenure as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Mr. Grandi has consistently exemplified profound humanity and dedication, bringing the voices of millions of refugees into spaces where decisions are made.

When Filippo Grandi took office in 2016, about 65 million people were forcibly displaced worldwide. By the end of 2024, that number had nearly doubled to more than 123 million. Behind these numbers are real people, families and individuals uprooted by conflict, persecution, or climate-related hardship. Over the course of his leadership, Mr. Grandi has consistently highlighted the strength and potential of displaced people - their resilience, their skills, and their hope for a better future.

Among his many accomplishments, Mr. Grandi helped bring the stories of displaced people to new platforms, from the Refugee Olympic Team, which made its debut under his leadership in 2016, to the convening of two Global Refugee Forums in 2019 and 2023 that galvanized international commitments. These initiatives have served as powerful reminders that even in the face of displacement, there is courage, dignity, and the will to contribute.

As we mark the 80th anniversary of the United Nations this year, we are reminded of our shared responsibility to uphold the dignity of every individual and safeguard human rights. In honoring Filippo Grandi tonight, we reaffirm our commitment to these fundamental principles.

In this important anniversary year for the United Nations, it is also a fitting moment to recognize the role of International Geneva. From its unique vantage point, this city brings together people, ideas, and institutions committed to multilateralism and global solidarity. The support of our host country is key in this endeavour.

International Geneva supports not only humanitarian action, but also peace and security, sustainable development, and the exploration of frontier issues shaping our future. It offers a space where dialogue, diplomacy, and expertise converge to forge collective responses to today’s challenges. In reaffirming our shared values tonight, we also pay tribute to this enduring multilateral spirit.

On behalf of the International Geneva community, thank you, Filippo Grandi, for your leadership, your compassion, and your relentless dedication to building a more humane and equitable world.

Let us continue to stand together, unified by our shared values, to tackle the challenges ahead and contribute, each in our way, to a more just, peaceful, and sustainable world.

Thank you very much.