© UNHCR/Alice Martins
“In a world where pain and evil are pervasive, we are all in need of a refuge of safety, affection and compassion. I have been moved by the stories I heard from the refugees. Their strength and courage are truly inspiring. I hope my voice will make a difference in their lives”
About Neshan
Armenian-Lebanese TV personality Neshan has been supporting UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency since 2014, and has visited refugees in Lebanon and Iraq.
Neshan supported high-profile global activities throughout 2018, including the #WithRefugees campaign and World Refugee Day, as well as UNHCR’s yearly Ramadan campaigns. He also hosted a charity auction for UNHCR as part of the MBC reality show Stars on Board that raised $1.2m for UNHCR’s work, and hosted refugee talent show Got Talent in Iraq in June 2016.
Most recently, Neshan visited an informal settlement in Beka'a, Lebanon and visited refugee families in Ramadan of 2019.
Neshan and the Nansen Refugee Award
Neshan was the first Arabic host of the prestigious UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award ceremony in Geneva, Switzerland, on 3 October 2016. The Nansen Award recognises an individual or organisation that has shown exceptional commitment and extraordinary dedication to refugees.
Ahead of the 2016 Nansen Award ceremony Neshan travelled to Greece with UNHCR to meet the 2016 joint winners, Konstantinos Mitragas, on behalf of the Hellenic Rescue Team (HRT), and Efi Latsoudi, the human rights activist behind “PIKPA village” on the Greek island of Lesvos.
Alongside Neshan, other High Profile Supporters who celebrated and honoured Konstantinos and Efi at the 2016 Nansen ceremony were globally acclaimed singer Baaba Maal, slam poet Emi Mahmoud, BBC’s Chief International Correspondent Lyse Doucet, and dancing sensation The Grey People.
