In this completely unedited and historic speech, iconic actor and activist Richard Gere announces a monumental partnership between the Gere Foundation and the Hertie School to launch the "Joint Initiative on Migration." Rather than focusing on short-term political gains, quotas, or border containment, this scientific and humanitarian project aims to tackle the deep, systemic root causes of migration from Africa to Europe. Speaking straight from the heart, the 76-year-old superstar shares deeply personal stories that have shaped his worldview. He tracks his own lineage back to the historic Mayflower boat (revealing a surprising 2% German heritage), tackles the harmful rhetoric used by modern politicians, and shares a profound revelation from his time spent living undercover on the streets as a homeless man. Most grippingly, Richard Gere recounts a surreal, high-stakes rescue mission he joined in the Mediterranean alongside the Spanish NGO Open Arms. He exposes the chilling reality of European laws that criminalize saving drowning people, the intervention of Italian secret police, and the heartbreaking, unspeakable testimonies of the 120 African refugees he personally met on deck after they fled the horrific violence of Libyan militias. Closing with an emotional applause for former German Chancellor Angela Merkel's courageous humanitarian decisions, Gere reminds us of a fundamental lesson shared by Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam alike: “How can you have politics without a heart? Love your neighbor. Every single one of them.” Watch the full, unfiltered speech below to experience a masterclass in compassion, global history, and human dignity. 0:00 Intro: Richard Gere warms up the crowd ("Everybody stand up!") 0:42 Why the younger generation is the true catalyst for real global change 1:18 The universal truth: "We are all human beings, we have all moved" 2:07 Richard Gere's ancestry: Tracking his roots from the Mayflower to 2% German heritage 3:16 Human history is the history of movement—so why use terms like "aliens"? 4:13 Visiting the camps in Lampedusa and seeing the reality of African and Syrian refugees 5:04 The law making it illegal to save drowning people: "Is this imaginable in a Christian country?" 6:05 Racing to Rome: Joining Open Arms to help a stranded vessel 20 miles off the coast 7:19 Threatened by secret police: How a tourist boat captain stepped in to save the day 8:23 Boarding the Open Arms ship: The exhaustion, fear, and fading hope of 120 souls 9:31 Unspeakable stories: What African women and men endure under Libyan militias 11:20 The drive for a safe place is an extraordinary constant in the human soul 12:45 Statistics vs. Humanity: Exposing politicians who use racism as a tool of manipulation 13:51 A message from the Dalai Lama: Why politics must always come from a place of empathy 15:40 Going undercover: What playing a homeless man on the street taught Gere about empathy 18:05 Asking the hard questions: Why are people leaving their homes in the first place? 18:49 Colonialism and the West: Acknowledging historical responsibility without assigning guilt 19:53 Partnering with the Hertie School: Why scientific brains need emotional hearts 21:15 Challenging the language of the "bad guys" with the language of sanity 22:36 The failure of European border outsourcing: Hundreds of millions given to Libyan hunters 24:57 Moving beyond ideology to evidence-based solutions for long-term human progress 25:53 Honoring a legacy: Richard Gere applauds the courage of Angela Merkel 26:37 Outro: A final call for global partnership—"Let's solve the human dilemma together"
