Refugees and displaced people, an example of resilience and hope
Herrera, who achieved worldwide fame by playing Miguel Arango in the soap opera Rebel (2004) and being part of the musical group RBD, stands out for his social commitment and his fight for human rights, migration and the environment for his work since 2020 at UNHCR.
Beyond his role as a public figure, he stressed that as a UNHCR ambassador he became a witness to the stories of those who suffer the most from the effects of climate change and violence.
During his stay in Brazil, he said that he was able to learn about examples of different countries affected by the climate crisis.
“I met the Somali Minister of the Environment (Bashir Mohamed Jama) and he was talking about quite complex issues that that country is going through. If we talk about Brazil, for example, last year there were brutal floods in Rio Grande do Sul and in 2022 in Rio de Janeiro. We have seen quite complex and serious issues in our country,” he noted.
(Photo: Courtesy)
He also told some stories of displaced people and refugees that have moved him because they are examples of resilience, hope and human strength.
“I was with some Warao women here in Belém, Brazil, who are Venezuelan refugees, and they told us: ‘We have the knowledge, we have the knowledge of the forest. We just want you to support us with the resources to be able to put it into practice.’ In the same way, that applies to absolutely everything,” commented Herrera, about how displaced people can also contribute in the countries that host them to take care of the environment.
When we talk about climate change we are all involved. It’s like a train that doesn’t stop and is accelerating. The issue here is how we can slow down that train. “We have the knowledge, all we need are the tools to be able to do it.”
Alfonso Herrera, Mexican actor and UNHCR goodwill ambassador.
Herrera also shared an experience that, he confessed, marked him deeply, as he is a young refugee who dreams of giving back for everything he has received from Uganda, the country that welcomed him after fleeing the violence in South Sudan.
“About four months ago I had the opportunity to travel to Uganda and I met a refugee boy in Kampala named Prince. This boy is 16 years old and wants to give back everything that the host country gave him. And he said: ‘Refugees are gold’. He wants to study engineering, he wants to be part of the national volleyball team… I know he is going to achieve it, but his story marked me,” said the actor, highlighting that refugees, despite the serious humanitarian situation, and the limited services they have, they have the determination to rebuild their lives and regain normality.
(Photo: Courtesy)
For Herrera, these stories are what give meaning to his work as a humanitarian ambassador.
“My role is to give visibility to these people who are in a vulnerable situation, because those who really are the true heroes are the people who are in the field day after day, providing assistance every day,” the actor insisted.
Within the framework of the COP30 that was held in Belém – one of the most biodiverse regions on the planet and, at the same time, one of the most affected by deforestation and climate change – Herrera insisted that it is necessary to expand dialogue between governments, affected communities and humanitarian organizations to promote an approach based on justice and solidarity.
