Magazine defends Priyanka Chopra's controversial cover

International superstar Priyanka Chopra found herself in the eye of a Twitter storm last week when a popular lifestyle

magazine

featured her on their cover in a vest with a few words printed on it. The cover featured the actress posing atop a high rise in a vest with the words 'Refugee, Immigrant, Outsider, Traveller'. The first three words ruffled quite a few feathers and had a few Twitterati calling it 'elitist', 'offensive' and 'insensitive'.

The spokesperson of the magazine was quick to address the matter and issued a statement clarifying their motive. The rep stated that the top, which was created for the cover, was to show how labelling people as immigrants, refugees and outsiders, is 'creating a culture of xenophobia'. They went on to say that the Magazine believes in opening up of borders and the breaking down of walls in order to open up minds and hearts.

Was this magazine cover featuring Priyanka Chopra 'insensitive' to refugees?

Speaking up for Priyanka Chopra, the representative said that the star is a perfect ambassador as she has experienced firsthand the opportunities that travel offers.

Read the full post below:-

At

Cond' Nast Traveller

, we believe that the opening up of borders and the breaking down of walls can help us discover the world, and open up our minds and hearts. So, when we had actor Priyanka Chopra wear a T-shirt we created on the cover of the 6th-anniversary issue, we had a point to make.

It's about how our labelling of people as immigrants, refugees and outsiders is creating a culture of xenophobia. We are allowing thousands of innocent people who are forced to cross borders due to unimaginable terror and atrocities to be treated without humanity and empathy. It's about how we are allowing some powerful leaders to build barriers that make it more difficult for bright, motivated and hardworking people to see more of the world, learn from it and make it better for us all.

It's time we demand better, and stand against the building of walls, literal and otherwise. We must demand a world free of racism and bigotry and prejudice, so that we'and generations after us'may enjoy all the abundance that travel offers, the beauty of a world that is open and rich and diverse in its people and cultures and geographies. And we must, in the midst of our many differences, find and celebrate our commonalities, our oneness. We must recognise that we are all on a journey.

Whether we are moving across oceans or just a few kilometres, or in our mind's eye, into a completely different world, whether we are doing so due to free will or circumstance'we are all travellers.

And this is why Priyanka Chopra'a star at home and abroad, who has experienced firsthand the opportunities that travel offers'is the perfect ambassador. It's not about her being a refugee or immigrant or outsider; it's about her, like us, recognising the power of travel, and joining us in asking everyone to do better for each other.