Refugees International Welcomes Ai Weiwei to Board of Directors

WASHINGTON—Refugees International is proud to welcome globally renowned artist and humanitarian Ai Weiwei to its board of directors. As a visionary leader, Mr. Ai will drive forward Refugees International’s work to advance the rights and safety of displaced people everywhere.

“Refugees International’s independence and willingness to speak truth to power makes it a powerful force for displaced people,” said Mr. Ai. “With more than 100 million people around the world forced from their homes, our humanity requires us to bear witness and to act.”

“Mr. Ai’s bold leadership is a breath of fresh air in a world where the political will to do the right thing in support of displaced people is becoming increasingly insufficient,“ said Refugees International Interim President Maureen White. “His art and activism inspires us all and reminds us of our shared humanity—the power both of the individual and of collective action.”

Mr. Ai’s advocacy for displaced people and ongoing partnership with Refugees International has been transformational. In 2018, Refugees International presented Mr. Ai with its Exceptional Service Award for his continuous work and advocacy on behalf of refugees. And in 2020, Mr. Ai launched Ai Weiwei MASK, an art project in collaboration with eBay for Charity that raised funds for COVID-19-related humanitarian and human rights efforts at Human Rights Watch (HRW), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), and Refugees International. His 2017 film Human Flow focused on the human impact of the refugee crisis based on visits to 23 countries and dozens of refugee camps.