Featuring David Miliband, President and CEO, International Rescue Committee
September 2022
With every news cycle and every crisis, the international refugee crisis is one that receives less and less attention by the international community. One particular country or crisis often receives the most attention, until the next crisis occurs. However, those working on the front lines to help the displaced are very aware of the magnitude of the crisis and work with hope and belief that the crisis is manageable and solvable if we work together.
David Miliband is one of these individuals working on the front lines of the refugee crisis. His current role is President and CEO of International Rescue Committee. International Rescue Committee (IRC)’s mission is “to help people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster. . . . to survive, recover and gain control over their future.” As President and CEO of International Rescue Committee, David Miliband works to carry out this mission and ensure that IRC is fulfilling this purpose. For David Miliband, this responsibility is not just a professional obligation. His role in supporting refugees and displaced people around the world is personal. David Miliband is the son of refugees, his parents fled to Britain during World War II. Their experience and his family’s history has shaped his work and commitment to others in need of humanitarian assistance.
As President and CEO, David Miliband oversees the work of International Rescue Committee in over 40 countries throughout the world that have been affected by war. His work also involves overseeing the refugee resettlement and assistance programs IRC has in 28 cities throughout the United States.
Prior to serving as President and CEO of IRC, David Miliband served as the 74th Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs of the United Kingdom from 2007 to 2010. In this capacity he advanced human rights while representing the United Kingdom around the World. Before serving as Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, he served as Secretary of State for the Environment. In this role he was involved with advancing the world’s first binding emissions reduction requirements.
David Miliband’s educational background prepared him well for the roles he has served in. He graduated from Oxford University with honors with a degree in philosophy, politics and economics. Later, David Miliband received a master’s degree in political science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a Kennedy Scholar.
With the number of individuals in crisis increasing daily, the work of IRC and David Miliband is vital to addressing and ending the refugee crisis, one life at a time.