Help Keep Refugees Warm with Neil Gaiman
© UNHCR
What do you need to be warm this winter?
We asked and you answered—the film version of Neil Gaiman’s crowdsourced poem “What You Need to be Warm” features hundreds of your illustrations.
We are honoured that #DrawForRefugees / “What You Need to be Warm” has been announced the Webby People’s Voice Winner in the category of Social, Public Service and Activism.
UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Neil Gaiman accepted the award on behalf of UNHCR, The UN Refugee Agency and the many hundreds of supporters who generously contributed their artworks and donated to keep refugees warm throughout the winter.
What do you need to be warm this winter?
We asked and you answered—the film version of “What You Need to be Warm” features hundreds of your crowdsourced illustrations. See if you can spot yours, and share the video to help keep refugee families warm this winter.
Refugee and internally displaced families are living in informal tented settlements or unfinished buildings that provide little protection from the cold and damp. They are especially vulnerable as temperatures plummet below zero.
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, will continue to do all we can to protect families forced to flee their homes, for as long as they need us – but we urgently need your support.
Photo: © UNHCR
Keep refugees warm with Neil Gaiman
“Gale force winter storms tear through camps and settlements, terrifying vulnerable displaced families sheltering from the elements. Please donate today – every one of us can take action that will help save lives and give a little warmth to someone who needs it.”
Photo: © UNHCR
Please help refugees stay warm this winter
Right now, refugees living in substandard urban housing, camps and settlements need your support to survive. UNHCR is delivering:
Thermal blankets
to provide warmth and sleep
Warm clothing
like jackets, shoes and gloves
Stoves and fuel
to cook meals, generate heat and dry wet clothing
Emergency shelter
to protect a family
We are on the ground right now helping keep families warm—but we cannot continue this work without your support.
Photo: © UNHCR/Jordi Matas
Why #DrawForRefugees?
Last year, UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Neil Gaiman wrote a poem inspired by words and memories shared by people all over the world to help raise funds to keep refugees warm over winter. What You Need to be Warm was knitted into a giant, three metre long Solidarity Scarf, created by supporters Kniterate. It was bordered by a rose motif designed by Syrian women living in Azraq refugee camp in Jordan.
The Solidarity Scarf is representative of the tens of thousands of aid items that UNHCR provides to refugees to help them stay warm and safe throughout the winter months. This year, crowdsourced illustrations contributed towards bringing the poem to life in an animated film to help raise funds to support refugees facing the challenges of another harsh winter.
Photo: © UNHCR/Jordi Matas
Acknowledgements
Thank you to everybody who contributed artwork to #DrawForRefugees. We were truly overwhelmed by the number and quality of submissions. It was not possible to include every submission in the animated film but we do plan to showcase all illustrations over the course of the next few months in support of our Winter Appeal, so please stay tuned for updates.
Thank you again to the following people whose work has been included in the film:
Samantha Hall Emma Abdullah Genal Art Space-Center for Art and Education, Belgrade, Serbia Andrea Nieto Gael Abary Mary Catherine Gomez Jessica Donker Curtius Rosalind Hew Addison Henn Katherine Soutar Kor Ararat Megan Phoenix Clay Fernald Rebecca Hirsch Samantha Lo Ana Goršek Christina Clemis Julieta Jennifer Capp Katarina Kameeri Kirk Olmstead Cristina Gurski Athens Comics Library Emerald Peterson Rebecca Ingham Kimberly Ceylon Coates Julia Jankowska Maria Messias Mendes Evgeniya Belanovskaya Margaret Laura Jenkins Jonah Grace Sy Kyle Joaquin Garcia Keta Douglas Lisset Aduviri Cyrus Alexander Brody Andrus Maja Modén Lyle Belsonda Nuri Fajriati Loreto Rhett Trujillo YT Eugenia Reneta R. Núria Dante Rocío S.A.S. Hirsimäki Su Marshall Elise McCool Rodolfo Dominguez Petit Katerina Bruzkova Andrea Carmona Emma Buth Esther Viola Maria Napier Lauren Pitts Michelle de Villiers Veronica Luna Caleigh Taylor Alejandra Céspedes Garance Coggins Marie-Clare McNulty Angeles Negrete Joelle Vanderbeke Nora Racz Nadia M. Borrego Yevheniia Pokshchykova Halla Alessandra Cocozza Rosie Donovan Tessa Van der Meij Zeynep Defne Totkanli Laura Julia Timofeev Jayvion Mason Addison Henn Nicola Emery Hayley Eden Jo Amy Ward Rohan Ormsby Aidan Cassie Julia Ellerbrock Kshiti Olivia Rendell Wachira Kaburia Giulia Annabelle Cracknell-Jones Jenea McClary Tom Chitty Jana Paradigi Maia Mellier Eole Vea Therse Cruz Jamie Watson Sabrina Wang Sonja Bajic Ayami Garcia Elena Gill Sarah Pickles Year 4 Students Ahmed Hussain Sheila Joanna McKenzie Kristin Keys Nadia Naomi Karyamsetty Sarah Clark Novella Brooks de Vita Mary Lillis Saranya Kapoor Emerald Peterson Kavita Manohar-Maharaj Gabriela Tobal Sam Hickman Christian Bethany Felix Dimitriadou Eleftheria Jemma Sander-Heys Julia Heiduschka Komako Hattori Sheen Akawich Wangsiriwech Sanidhya Kapoor B Murray Olivia Swerling Rini Angeliantari Shabnam Jourabchi Gulnissa Anya Winqvist Clare Morgan Custer Raina Dinis R. Beatriz P. Neha Tennekoon Freya Brennand Karolina Kordala Lizzyinsands Heike Kurtenbach Julia Michońska Julián Jaén González Sharon MacLeod Sean Dennison Juliette Soubise Gillian Wong Nagma Mathur Piyumi Kapugeekiyana Quicklyfun Kenshin De Los Trinos Francesca Fontanez Mr Robin James Hatch Marilyn Scott-Waters Anastasia Dutova Mary Lillis Shef Megara Gutierrez Anvita Anna Peronetto Gabriela Tobal Paolo Parisi Sofia Paz Julia Timofeev Patricia Flaam Julia Vasileva Hollie Frye Luise Sébök Astrid Stiasny Pea Flower Tomioka Victoria Lowery-Tao Ana Lucía Lena Gnedkova Rúben V. Mariana D. Şan Edosa Imuetınyan Ellie-May Greensill Silvia Dalla Ragione Arina Abbie Marijke van Buuren Ruma Ahmed Mina Rakic Sam Nicole Johel Rivera-Martinez Lincoln Oxford-Pickeral Inge van Elferen Jacqueline Bell Jocelyn Chang Niki Offutt Ruth Jackson Lee Tyson Beimel Marilyn Scott-Waters Rachael Johnson Jasmine Simperingham Else Wolter Enya Maeve Robson Isabella Casarini Addison Henn Edson Natalie Irina Leitner T Sara Prigodich Kharisma Mayanh Margaret Julia Heiduschka Meente EleMuCi Jazmin Lee Rebeca Christy Kirsty O Donnell Ray Asmus Helms Giovanni Arestivo Kiel Oboza Gesa Febrian Alexandra Waddington Mandy Widjojo Helena BS Arthur Chin Olive Yuvencia María Dolores Atienza Feminista Feministando Al Davison Javier Martínez Fábio Moon Daniela Vojtechovská Joaquin Baldwin Ben Caviness Karolina Nino Aisha Galadriel Sarah Akila D. Weerasinghe Vicki Herring Alicia Lim Lucy Crewe Demeter Jerolimou Elfie A. Branford Lennie Astrid Stiasny Helen Middleton