World Refugee Day, celebrated yearly on June twentieth, highlights the power and braveness of refugees. These people have been displaced from their homelands as a result of battle or pure disasters. The day serves to extend public consciousness and bolster worldwide assist for refugees.”
In accordance with UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Company, there are actually over 108.4 million displaced people all over the world, the highest quantity ever recorded.
It’s essential to look past simply the staggering numbers, and understand that every of these people has a face, a narrative, and a set of hopes and desires they hope to realize.
World Refugee Day was established on June 20, 2001, to have fun the fiftieth anniversary of the 1951 Conference Regarding the Standing of Refugees.
My household and I grew to become refugees in 2006, leaving Baghdad and transferring to Syria, which was taking in refugees on the time. After over a yr of interviews, we acquired a cellphone name: we had 4 one-way tickets to Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
We have been extremely fortunate. Solely 2% of all refugees are resettled to a brand new nation, and the typical time a person spends within the refugee camp is over a decade.
Over the previous eight years, I’ve labored to create system-level platforms for refugee youth to share their very own tales, on their very own phrases.
As a teen, I based the group Narratio, which now runs the one storytelling and management fellowship for resettled refugee youth in the USA. Over the previous 5 years, work by 57 Narratio Fellows has reached over 2.5 million people worldwide.
I labored with Good Good Good in 2020 to create The Refugees Version of the Goodnewspaper — they usually reached out to ask me to create this information.
Whereas it’s essential to study extra about and uplift the experiences of refugees each single day, it’s useful to have someplace to begin. I’ve created a information on how one can be part of me in celebrating World Refugee Day this yr.
By the way in which, a number of the hyperlinks on this article (like books!) are affiliate hyperlinks, which suggests when you make a purchase order after clicking a hyperlink, we could earn a fee at no additional value to you. Thanks!
Actions and Concepts: How To Acknowledge World Refugee Day
Study
Study concerning the nuances between displaced populations.
There are a number of definitions to pay attention to as we take into consideration World Refugee Day. In accordance with UNHCR, a refugee is “somebody who has been pressured to flee his or her nation due to persecution, struggle or violence.” There are additionally those that are internally displaced, stateless, and searching for asylum.
Study extra about these definitions on this information from the UNHCR.
Learn the way refugee resettlement works.
Refugee resettlement is usually a lengthy and unsure course of, and a small fraction of refugees are resettled to a brand new nation.
After arrival, a brand new journey begins as people (and extra typically, households) begin to construct new lives and regulate to life in America.
In 2020, I had the honour of internet hosting the regional-Murrow Award-winning VPM/NPR podcast Resettled, which breaks down the refugee resettlement course of by means of the tales of these instantly experiencing it.
Try the six-episode sequence and study extra about refugee resettlement — overlaying arrival, language, training, well being, and discovering dwelling.
Watch movies concerning the complexity of displacement.
There’s a distinction between a refugee story and the story of somebody who occurs to be a refugee. These films showcase this distinction in a robust manner:
Learn books by authors who’ve skilled displacement.
Literature can assist us higher perceive the world and our place inside it. These books powerfully articulate the varied experiences of displaced people, and deliberately middle their tales in ways in which they instantly form and affect:
- “Sea Prayer” by Khaled Hosseini (Bookshop) (Amazon)
- “Exit West” by Mohsin Hamid (Bookshop) (Amazon)
- “We Are Displaced: My Journey and Tales from Refugee Women Across the World” by Malala Yousafzai (Bookshop) (Amazon)
- “The Undocumented Individuals” by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio (Bookshop) (Amazon)
- “After the Final Border: Two Households and the Story of Refuge in America” by Jessica Goudeau (Bookshop) (Amazon)
- “The Displaced: Refugee Writers on Refugee Lives” by Viet Thanh Nguyen, David Bezmozgis, Thi Bui, Reyna Grande, Aleksandar Hemon, and Vu Tran (Bookshop) (Amazon)
- “The Ungrateful Refugee” by Dina Nayeri (Bookshop) (Amazon)
- And my e book: “Whereas the Earth Sleeps We Journey: Tales, Poetry, and Artwork From Younger Refugees Across the World” by Ahmed M. Badr (Bookshop) (Amazon)
Learn and share excellent news about refugees.
Refugees aren’t a monolithic group. They’re artists, medical doctors, legal professionals, pilots, storytellers, and a lot extra.
Good Good Good is all about serving to readers have fun excellent news and change into excellent news.
This World Refugee Day, let’s have fun excellent news created by exceptional people who occur to be present or former refugees:
→ Learn all of Good Good Good’s refugee excellent news protection
Take Motion
Volunteer with a nonprofit that helps refugees in your group.
Organizations supporting refugees are usually underfunded and overstretched. They rely closely on volunteers to assist newcomers as they regulate to life within the U.S.
There are a number of ranges of assist doable, from giving somebody a experience, to main a literacy and language abilities class, to internet hosting a group occasion to welcome new arrivals.
Try this checklist of nonprofits in all 50 states and discover one you may assist in your group!
Donate to a nonprofit that helps assist refugees in the USA.
As soon as refugees arrive within the U.S., they’re supported by a community of group organizations, from resettlement businesses to literacy facilities to profession growth packages.
I’ve labored with many of those organizations and extremely suggest their extraordinary work:
Hiya Neighbor (Pittsburgh, Nationwide) — Hiya Neighbor helps newly arrived refugee and immigrant households by introducing them to “devoted neighbors.” Hiya Neighbor additionally centralizes a exceptional community of organizations, together with a fellowship, working to assist refugees throughout the US.
Cuatro Puntos (Connecticut) — Cuatro Puntos works to spotlight underrepresented musicians from all over the world, a lot of whom occur to be refugees. They host excursions, fund albums, and create group for artists throughout genres and lived experiences.
ReEstablish Richmond (Virginia) — ReR, supported by a community of volunteers, supplies refugees and new immigrants with the alternatives and assets to construct their new lives in America.
Elena’s Gentle (Connecticut) — EL is led by a former Afghan refugee, and makes use of a community-informed method to supporting newly arrived refugee ladies. They’re working to develop their operations throughout the USA.
My group: Narratio (New York, Virginia, Nationwide, & Worldwide) — We create platforms for displaced youth to share their very own tales on their very own phrases.
Donate to a nonprofit that helps assist refugees all over the world.
It’s essential to do not forget that most refugees aren’t in the USA, and that we should additionally assist organizations working on the world stage.
#MeWe Worldwide — #MeWeIntl makes use of an award-winning, holistic set of communications instruments to activate the ability of displaced populations to say company over their tales and change into leaders of their communities.
UNHCR, The UN Refugee Company — UNHCR is the official UN physique tasked with defending and supporting the world’s displaced populations. They reply to emergencies and mobilize assets to assist refugees throughout their journeys.
Worldwide Rescue Committee — Based by Albert Einstein in 1933, The Worldwide Rescue Committee (often called the IRC) helps displaced populations (together with these affected by local weather change). The group is a pacesetter in supporting resettled refugees in the USA.
Select Love — Select Love is a company and on-line retailer, the primary on this planet to promote actual merchandise for refugees. Every buy made is matched to an actual merchandise or service a refugee wants. In 2016, Select Love was the biggest community-led distributor of support in Europe.
Decide to difficult monolithic representations of refugees.
Amplify and create area for nuanced expressions of refugee tales. Bear in mind that there’s a distinction between a refugee story and the story of somebody who occurs to be a refugee.
Share the tales, movies, podcasts, and music featured on this article, introducing refugee tales in a holistic manner.
Assist refugee-owned companies.
Immigrants and refugees are a number of the most prolific entrepreneurs and enterprise leaders. The truth is, in response to Forbes, 55% of billion-dollar startups within the U.S. are based by an immigrant. These leaders create highly effective, multilayered influence throughout native, nationwide, and worldwide scales.
Initiatives just like the Tent Partnership for Refugees, created by Chobani founder Hamdi Ulukaya, mobilizes the enterprise group to enhance the lives and livelihoods of refugees all around the world.
Try this checklist of 216 Fortune 500 corporations based by immigrants.
Have fun
Attend a World Refugee Day occasion in your group.
World Refugee Day is a communal celebration. Throughout the U.S. and the world, native communities come collectively to have fun the wealthy and various contributions of refugees and immigrants by means of gala’s, dinners, parades, and a lot extra.
Browse the Hiya Neighbor Community and discover World Refugee Day occasions in your group.
Hearken to music by artists who’ve skilled displacement.
Musicians who’ve skilled displacement aren’t essentially outlined by that displacement. Artists working inside and outdoors of the diaspora have created a number of the strongest work spanning genres, areas, and types.
Try these exceptional musicians:
For Children / College students At Faculty
Browse initiatives by different displaced younger folks.
Displaced younger persons are a number of the world’s greatest artists, storytellers, and creatives. It’s essential to spotlight their work in its full richness and complexity.
- Try artistic work by the Narratio Fellows
- Browse the Sirkhane Darkroom catalog, a cell analog images undertaking for youngsters and youth on the Turkish / Syrian border with Iraq.
Learn and take heed to poems by writers who’ve skilled displacement.
Poetry is a robust software for capturing complicated emotions and experiences. These poets defy the assumed narratives of their displacement, and as a substitute provide new views — on their very own phrases.
Give displays about extraordinary leaders, artists, and scientists who’ve skilled displacement.
Among the most exceptional people in historical past occurred to be refugees. It’s essential to spotlight these tales, however we should additionally do not forget that success can have many manifestations, past fame. Discover the total tales of those people who’ve formed and proceed to form our world:
- Albert Einstein
- Samia Halaby
- Freddie Mercury
- Mona Hatoum
- Isabel Allende
- Okay’Naan
- Mo Amer
Bonus: Discover this full checklist of well-known refugees compiled by RefugeeWeek.org
Often Requested Questions
Why will we have fun World Refugee Day?
We have fun World Refugee Day to honor the ability, resilience, and variety of people who’ve or are experiencing displacement. We amplify their voices, their work, and create areas for them to share their very own tales, on their very own phrases.
What are some good quotes about refugees?
Good Good Good has compiled a group of quotes concerning the refugee expertise and quotes from refugees themselves.
→ Learn the entire greatest refugee quotes
What’s the 2024 theme for World Refugee Day?
The 2024 theme of World Refugee Day is “For a World The place Refugees Are Welcomed.” With this theme, the UN emphasizes how refugees want our solidarity now greater than ever. Solidarity means maintaining our doorways open, celebrating refugees’ strengths and achievements, and reflecting on the challenges they face.
What was the 2023 theme for World Refugee Day?
The 2023 theme of World Refugee Day was “hope away from dwelling.” We should proceed supporting refugees as they combine into new communities throughout the USA and past. Discovering dwelling is usually a troublesome problem, one that may be made simpler with group assist and solidarity.
What was the 2022 theme for World Refugee Day?
The 2022 theme of World Refugee Day was “Whoever, Wherever, At any time when.” Its purpose was to spotlight the necessity for larger inclusivity of refugees the world over, and a requirement to bear in mind their particular person wants and calls for in methods which can be intentional and equitable.
What are the colours for World Refugee Day?
There are not any official colours for World Refugee Day, however the UNHCR brand and flag use the colour white on a blue background or blue on white background. Many organizations and celebrations use comparable coloration schemes of their annual designs.
What hashtags must be used for World Refugee Day?
When sharing about World Refugee Day on social media, use these in style hashtags:
- #WorldRefugeeDay
- #WithRefugees
- #SafetyForAll
- #RefugeesWelcome
When is Refugee Week?
Refugee Week takes place annually through the week round World Refugee Day on June 20. In 2023, Refugee Week takes place from June 19-25 — and options occasions the world over honoring and uplifting the tales, contributions, and resilience of refugees throughout native, nationwide, and worldwide communities.
When is Refugee Consciousness Month?
Whereas there’s a World Refugee Day and Refugee Week — there’s not a Refugee Consciousness Month. There’s, nevertheless, an Immigrant Heritage Month, which is well known in July annually.
Header picture by Carra Sykes for The Refugee Version of the Goodnewspaper — depicting the phrase Welcome, written in several languages
