Dec 6, 2017, 7:14 PM ETConference Presentation, Fireside Chat, Panel

Lunch Program | A Conversation with David Miliband

One in 110 people globally is displaced by conflict or persecution, totaling 65 million individuals.
Of this total, 25 million are refugees who have crossed international borders, while 40 million are internally displaced persons.
Half of all displaced people are children under the age of 18.
60% of refugees live in urban areas rather than camps, requiring economic integration and employment opportunities.
The average duration of displacement is 10 years; once displacement exceeds five years, the typical individual faces a lifetime of refugee status.
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) operates 196 field sites in 30 countries, with 1,000 staff in Syria and 130 in Libya.
The IRC was founded by Albert Einstein in 1933 to rescue Jews from Europe and now serves as a global humanitarian charity.
Climate change and resource stress are identified as multipliers of conflict, thereby driving future displacement trends.

Work Rights: Allowing refugees to work, as Uganda does for 1 million South Sudanese refugees, transforms them into productive economic actors.
Education Funding: Currently, only 2% of the global humanitarian budget is allocated to education, described by the speaker as "strategically stupid."
Cash Assistance: Less than 6% of humanitarian budgets utilize cash payments; a study in Lebanon showed that $100 in cash generates $213 in the local economy.
Resettlement Reductions:
- The US resettlement cap was reduced from a historical average of 90,000 to a maximum of 45,000 under the Trump administration.
- Latest studies predict US intake may fall to approximately 15,000.
- The UK currently allows only 4,000 to 5,000 refugees annually.
MacArthur Prize: The IRC is a finalist for a $100 million MacArthur Prize to fund research on solving "toxic stress" and brain trauma in children under eight in the Middle East.

Brexit Position: The speaker characterizes Brexit as "national self-harm" and argues there is no such thing as "soft Brexit," only a "slow Brexit" leading inevitably to hard Brexit.
Democratic Process: The speaker believes referendums are tools for "dictators and demagogues" and that the UK government should seek a parliamentary vote on the final deal, potentially including a second public vote if the terms become clear.
European Optimism: Despite political instability in Germany, Italy, and Poland, the speaker cites a Eurozone growth prospect of 2% and a renewed Franco-German leadership motor as reasons for optimism regarding continental Europe.
US Withdrawal Impacts: The speaker criticizes the Trump administration's withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, the Iran Nuclear Deal, and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), warning that this power vacuum allows China to become the primary economic pole in Asia.
International Institutions: The speaker argues that global challenges stem from international institutions being "too weak" rather than too strong.
Migration Compact: The UK's withdrawal from the UN Migration Compact is condemned as a dangerous act of deglobalization.

Iraq War: The speaker definitively states the invasion of Iraq was a strategic error, noting that while the war was won, the peace was lost due to the uncompleted Afghanistan campaign and the strengthening of Iran.
Use of Force: The speaker maintains support for the "Responsibility to Protect" but warns against two imbalances: the "militarization of diplomacy" and the "impunity" for war crimes.
Globalization: The speaker argues that globalization remains necessary but must be made fairer and more secure to address middle-class wage stagnation and inequality (citing US CEO pay at 274 times the average worker).
21st Century Narrative: The speaker agrees with filmmaker Ai Weiwei that displacement will be the defining story of the 21st century, driven by weak states, international division, and internal religious/political tumult.
Call to Action: The speaker urges the audience to advocate for refugees, hire them, utilize corporate expertise for social impact, and donate, noting the IRC's private funding grew from 10% to 20% of its budget, raising $160–170 million annually.