UK for UNHCR's 'Fragments Of Hope' embodies the grace of human resilience and the capacity to rebuild

The unique 'Fragments of Hope' tea set reminds us that, while the challenges of forced displacement should not be underestimated, piece by piece, lives can be rebuilt.

Creative PR agency The Romans and UK for UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency’s national charity for the UK, have launched a new earned-first campaign for Refugee Week 2025 (16 - 22 June). It brings to life the experiences of six refugee storytellers from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Ukraine, Sudan and Syria with unique artwork as a celebration of resilience.

'Fragments of Hope' represents people who have rebuilt their lives in the UK after being forced to flee conflict and persecution, created in collaboration with renowned sculptor and artist Billie Bond.

There are now more than 122 million people displaced by conflict and persecution worldwide. Behind every number is a personal journey of survival and hope. In honour of this, UK for UNHCR’s latest campaign centres around a unique Kintsugi tea set that reflects the individual stories.

The Japanese art of Kintsugi, meaning to mend with gold, repairs pottery by acknowledging its fractures and transforming them into something beautiful.

Similarly, the unique Fragments of Hope tea set reminds us that, while the challenges of forced displacement should not be underestimated, piece by piece, lives can be rebuilt.

 The artwork included personal contributions by the people who were themselves forced to flee their homes:

Viktoriia from Ukraine, a dedicated community development coordinator; Ayman from Syria, a self-taught filmmaker and storyteller; Sadia from Pakistan, an award-winning artist and advocate; Bashir from Sudan, a renowned poet and musician, and a mother and daughter duo, and Frozan and Victoria from Afghanistan, a mother and daughter duo who support their community as an interpreter and an aspiring business leader, respectively.

Within this unique tea set, every fragment carries a piece of the story, collectively forming a symbol of hope, resilience and the strength of community. 

The film was captured by Witness London, with photography taken by Ayman Alhussein.

Mark MacDonald, communications director for UK for UNHCR, said: “Nobody chooses to be a refugee – being forced to flee war or persecution can leave lives and communities torn asunder at a moment's notice. As we mark Refugee Week, we hope this campaign will inspire people to learn more and show their solidarity for refugees worldwide. Our particular thanks to Billie Bond for contributing her time and expertise so generously to create this thought-provoking piece and to the storytellers who have shared their personal journeys of displacement with such courage.”

Beth Arnold, creative at The Romans, said: “Fragments of Hope is one of those once-in-a-career kind of briefs that reminds you why you do the work you do - to tell stories that matter and create campaigns with real-world impact.

Credits

PR Agency: The Romans
Executive Creative Director: Dan Roberts
Creative: Beth Arnold
Senior Associate Director: Imogen Sackey
Producer: Pauline Lecroix
UK for UNHCR:
Senior PR Manager: Sara Guy
Project Manager: Bridget Cowan
Digital Communications leads: Deej Senghore, Genna AlTai & Tolani Ubhi-Mohideen
Refugee Storyteller liaison: Mona Abdalhafiz & Isabelle Gius
Production
Artist: Billie Bond
Production Company: Witness Studios London
Editor: Witness Studios London
Grade: Max Cutting
Camera Op: Max Cutting
Sound Op: Joseph Dominic