Help refugees, migrants to save our ship

Perhaps no issue on the global agenda is more susceptible to manipulation by grandstanding demagogues than refugees and migrants. "Us" versus "them" is a timeless if irresponsible unifier, used throughout history to obscure our common humanity by those with dangerously self-serving interests. The difference now is that more people are on the move than ever before, and in an era when storylines spread with viral speed, we see xenophobia rising and too often erupting into violence.

This week's United Nations Summit for Refugees and Migrants represents a breakthrough at a breaking point. With so many shrill voices dominating the debate, governments from around the world are responding in measured tones that can yield real results if promises are kept.

The summit marks the first-ever gathering of top leaders to discuss refugees and migrants. It adopted a groundbreaking consensus agreement: the New York Declaration. Fittingly, that document honors a city renowned for its vibrant diversity - symbolized by the Statue of Liberty standing tall in New York Harbor. Most importantly, the declaration sets a principled and pragmatic approach for addressing the challenges of people on the move while upholding our most cherished values.