Key speakers, including Raed Al Saleh of the Syrian Civil Defense (White Helmets) and Julieta Valls Noyes, Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, provided impactful interventions on the human and economic costs of exclusionary policies and the dangers of misinformation fueling anti-refugee sentiments. Assistant Secretary Valls Noyes concluded with positive and hopeful remarks, drawing on the U.S.'s approach to inclusive refugee policies. The panel discussion featured Kelly Clements, UNHCR Deputy High Commissioner; H.E. Bob Rae, Canada’s Ambassador to the UN; and Nobel Laureate Tawakkol Karman, who explored how inclusive policies foster social cohesion and economic growth, while exclusionary ones lead to higher costs and increased social tensions.
