In a message on World Refugee Day, actress Mahira Khan recalled her interactions with Afghan refugees in Pakistan and how they reshaped her understanding of safety.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) goodwill ambassador urged people to remember that “When one family finds safety, we all share in a more hopeful future.”

The star, while undertaking her duties with the UNHCR, said she had met Afghan refugees “who were forced to leave their homes and rebuild their lives from nothing”. She said there were refugee parents she had interacted with who were “working every day to give their children a future” and young people “determined to continue their education”.

Despite losing everything, she said, refugee families continued to hold onto hope. The actress said she had “seen resilience in places where life has been incredibly hard” and how “safety can change what tomorrow looks like”.