The immediate former Liaison Bishop of the Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference (SACBC) Migrants and Refugees Office has joined religious leaders in their pledge to support and welcome refugees.

Speaking on behalf of religious leaders from around 40 faith-based organisations worldwide gathered in Geneva, Switzerland for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNCHR) December 13-15 Global Refugee Forum, Archbishop Buti Tlhagale said that members of the ecumenical body pledge “collective support to refugees, and to work together and inter-religiously where possible to improve the lives of refugees regardless of their nationality, race, religious beliefs, class, or political opinions.”

“The pledges include commitment to resettlement, countering hate speech, preventing statelessness, social cohesion, refugee participation, education, interfaith training, and humanitarian relief. It also includes a $30.5 million (approximately R557 million) contribution,” said Archbishop Tlhagale in his capacity as a member of the UNHCR Multi-Religious Council of Leaders.

In their pledge read by Archbishop Tlhagale, religious leaders said they “recognize the contribution of refugees. They bring their skills, ambitions, courage, and dreams for peace to their communities through forgiveness and reconciliation.”

Meanwhile, in his December 12 address during an event held by the World Council of Churches prior to the launch of the UNHCR Global Refugee Forum, Archbishop Tlhagale reiterated Pope Francis four verbs with regards to the welcoming and integration of migrants and refugees.

“Refugees urge Religious Leaders to borrow the words of Pope Francis, “to welcome, promote, protect and integrate” refugees in their various communities.  It is imperative to fight prejudice, xenophobia, racism and the fear of migrants and refugees.  The promotion of compassion and human dignity ought to filter down to the ordinary people so that they become the promoters of the dignity of every different person they encounter,” said the Metropolitan Archbishop of Johannesburg.

The member of the UNHCR Multi-Religious Council of Leaders went to say, “Refugees expect Religious Leaders to encourage non-discriminatory employment policies.  Employment enhances the dignity of the working person.  The major aspiration of refugees is to find employment.  Employment is the key to liberation, to personal fulfilment and to assuming family responsibility.”