Cate Blanchett, Ben Stiller, Benedict Cumberbatch urge the world to stand with refugees in UN campaign

Hollywood A-listers Cate Blanchett, Ben Stiller, and Benedict Cumberbatch are just among 60 prominent names and faces featured in a United Nations video campaign #WithRefugees released Thursday, June 16.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees launched #WithRefugees campaign as they urge the international community to stand together with refugees amid a backdrop of rising xenophobia and the world's largest refugee crisis since World War II.

The video message spanned less than two minutes where global celebrities painted a picture of global solidarity and delivered the campaign's petition to stand with the world's refugees.

Cate Blanchett appeared with other Hollywood names including Ben Stiller, Benedict Cumberbatch, Patrick Stewart, Kristin Davis, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Margot Robbie, and Dame Helen Mirren. Korean Hallyu star Jung Woo-Sung also appeared in the video as well as singers Juanes, Mika, Maher Zain and Babaa Maal, author Khaled Hosseini, supermodel and former refugee Alek Wek, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, and faith leaders Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Venerable V. Vajiramedhi.

"Every day, war forces thousands of innocent families to leave their homes," the celebrities said in the video.

"To escape the violence they leave everything behind... everything except their hopes and dreams. We believe all refugees deserve the right to protection and to live in safety. Together, we need to send a clear message to governments. We must act with solidarity and take shared responsibility. We stand together #WithRefugees. Please stand with us," they urged.

According to its official website, the petition also asks all governments to ensure education for refugee children, a safe place to live for refugee families, and an avenue for refugees to be productive and be a positive contribution to their communities. The petition will be delivered to the UN even before its historic General Assembly in September to address the refugee problem.

On the same day, UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria delivered a report declaring the Islamic State's atrocities in Iraq and Syria since 2014 as genocide. In March, the UN declared Syria as the biggest humanitarian and refugee crisis of a generation.

UNHCR chose Blanchett, an Australian Oscar-winning actress, as the global Ambassador of Goodwill.

Having met and talked with displaced Syrians in Jordan, Blanchett said in a video interview, "There has never been a more crucial time to stand with refugees and show solidarity."