Often leaving their homes with very little, refugees are forced to start their new life in a foreign land on the back foot. With the right support though, refugees can and will go on to establish incredible lives and careers and bring a wealth of happiness and knowledge to their new home.
Here are the stories of just five famous people who you might not have known were refugees.
Rita Ora
Singer, Rita Ora was born in the Kosovo region of Yugoslavia in 1990 to Albanian parents. They fled to the UK the following year as the break up of Yugoslavia resulted in the persecution of Albanian people.
The family settled in London, where they had to learn English. Her mother later became a psychiatrist, with her father studying economics before becoming a pub landlord.
Rita Ora has spoken openly about her and her family’s experience of being refugees, becoming a UNICEF ambassador and speaking at multiple events.
Video caption: Rita Ora speaking on refugee support for WE Day UK.
Karl Marx
In the 1840’s Karl Marx fled Germany due to fear of persecution and censorship of his left-wing political views. He was later expelled by France as he was seen to be a threat to the government before arriving in the UK in 1849 with his wife and three children.
Karl Marx lived out the rest of his life in London, freely expressing his philosophy as a social scientist, writer, journalist and historian. He is widely revered as one of history’s greatest thinkers.
Sigmund Freud
As a Jewish man, the Austrian psychologist Sigmund Freud left Austria during its Nazi occupation in 1938. With his family, he settled in London where he completed a number of his works before passing away in 1939 aged 83.
According to a poll in 2013, Sigmund Freud is widely believed to be the refugee who made the most significant contribution to British Life.
Michael Marks
Michael Marks may not be an easily recognisable name but the business he helped found – Marks & Spencer – certainly is.
He left Belarus, then part of the Soviet Union, as a Jewish refugee in the late 1800’s before arriving in Leeds to work as a street trader. He borrowed money from a warehouse owner to open up his first market stall, selling wares for a penny each. In 1894 he met one Thomas Spencer, a bookkeeper, who helped him open further stores. After quick expansion Marks & Spencer was born.
Mila Kunis
Originally from Ukraine, with her family, Mila Kunis fled the country in 1991 for Los Angeles. On arrival her parents did odd jobs like painting houses and working in chemists. At first Mila Kunis struggled to adapt to her new life, only speaking Russian. Her parents enrolled her in an acting school to help her acclimatise to her new home, adapt to the culture and learn English.
The award-winning actress helped to raise over $34 million to support the people of Ukraine following Russia’s invasion.
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