The world of Game of Thrones is full of brutal conflict, with the resulting wars often leading to hardships for the civilian population.
Unfortunately, this is also true of the real world, and recent conflicts have led to the worst refugee crisis since the Second World War.
Now the cast of Game of Thrones have got a bit of free time on their hands after season six’s dramatic ending, several of them visited refugee camps in Greece with the International Rescue Committee, Elite Daily reports.
Journey continues. @Maisie_Williams @IAMLenaHeadey & @LiamCunningham1 on visiting Lesbos w/ IRC. #RealmToTheRescuehttps://t.co/XLvkW9hzBQ
— IRC Intl Rescue Comm (@theIRC) June 30, 2016
And they have a message for world leaders about the approximately 65 million forcibly displaced peoples around the world, with over 20 million of them refugees – do something to help.
Using the hashtag #RealmToTheRescue, Maisie Williams, Lena Headey and Liam Cunningham aka Arya, Cersei and Ser Davos visited the camps.
In Greece @Maisie_Williams meets 13yo Haya who dreams of being an actor & performed 3 plays at @theIRC safe space pic.twitter.com/smly5CkjdY
— Kathleen Prior (@KathleenAPrior) June 30, 2016
Williams met a young aspiring Syrian actor who made a big impression on her. She said:
For me it is about the children… children with so much potential, so many hopes and dreams. Where is the humanity that makes it acceptable for them to languish in refugee camps – in Europe?
Headey took to Twitter to talk about the experience.
I have met some incredible, strong people today. People who need us to stand in solidarity.
— lena headey (@IAMLenaHeadey) June 30, 2016
It's shames us all when we behave like it's not our problem. It is. We can do better good people.
— lena headey (@IAMLenaHeadey) June 30, 2016
When goodbye is painful it means it's love. THANKYOU @theIRC for the most life changing experience.
— lena headey (@IAMLenaHeadey) July 1, 2016
Cunningham added:
There are (refugees) in these camps who are oncologists, judges, successful people who’ve had everything taken away from them… I was angry before but when you meet these beautiful people who are our children, our brothers, our sisters and you see what’s been done to them. It’s shameful.
He also pointed out that the refugee crisis isn’t the outcome of a natural disaster, it’s a ‘man-made’ issue, and we should be doing more to help.
“They want to go home but they can't, because we have destroyed it.”
GoT cast visits refugee camps in Greece.https://t.co/kFmwYj8S4z
— AJ+ (@ajplus) July 2, 2016
Here’s a video the cast made back in March to raise awareness: