February 12, 2016 — George and Amal Clooney today joined International Rescue Committee (IRC) President and CEO David Miliband to meet with Syrian refugee families in Berlin. The meeting took place after their discussion with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The group discussed what their life was like in Syria, the reasons they felt they needed to uproot their families, and their futures in Germany.
“It was an honor to meet three Syrian families whose lives have been shattered by war and inspiring to learn that the people of Germany are helping them put their lives back together,” said George Clooney.
“As peace talks hang in the balance, the stories of these families should drive not just humanitarian help, but renewed determination to bring the Syrian war to an end,” added Miliband.
The IRC has been delivering vital aid to those affected by the Syria conflict, which enters its sixth year next month, inside Syria and across the region since 2012. Last year, the IRC provided lifesaving assistance to nearly 900,000 people in northern Syria.
Responding to today’s Syria ceasefire plans, Miliband said: “You don't wait a week for an emergency operation and the people of Syria should not have to wait a week for relief from bombings. The agreement needs detail and urgency to offer hope to the people suffering sieges inside Syria. Syria has been a war without law as well as a war without end. We wait with eager anticipation to see whether this agreement is a turning point or a false dawn.”