https://www.unhcr.org/news/stories/live-blog-2023-world-refugee-day-cele...
The theme of this year's event is "Hope away from home", highlighting the need to give refugees the opportunity to study, work and live healthy lives wherever they find safety. Inclusion is the best way to help refugees restart their lives, contribute to their new communities and prepare them for a successful return home when conditions allow.
With global forced displacement at record levels, the need for solutions and hope for millions of people fleeing conflict and persecution has never been greater. We can all play our part, so follow our updates throughout the day to get inspired and see what can happen when we stand #WithRefugees.
Pretoria, South Africa
The "Living Ubuntu" event at Pretoria's Freedom Park earlier today was a celebration of dance, music and poetry. It was also an opportunity to see performances by some of the finalists from a talent show run by the South African Refugee Led Network.
Jordan/Uganda/Germany
YouTube and UNHCR have collaborated on a new short film series entitled “We Were Here”Link is external that was released today in support of World Refugee Day. The films aim to challenge stereotypes and perceptions by connecting refugees with some of YouTube's most influential content creators and focusing on their shared interests such as music, growing food, and building toys.
Warsaw, Poland
Refugees and locals gathered in Warsaw on Sunday to commemorate the strength and resilience of refugees with performances by Ukrainian musicians, art workshops for children and adults and sports activities
Kenya
As we noted in a previous post, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi is in Kenya for World Refugee Day. Earlier, he issued a statement to mark the day calling on everyone from government leaders to citizens to do more to include refugees in local communities and give them hope. "We can – and must – do more to offer such hope, opportunities, and solutions to refugees, wherever they are and whatever the context," he said.
UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi addresses refugees, members of the host community and other invited guests at the Kalobeyei refugee settlement, Kenya, on 20 June.
© UNHCR/Pauline Omagwa
Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh
At the world’s largest refugee camp in Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar, various events have been taking place, including performances by Rohingya musicians, a “live art” show and an exhibition of Rohingya photographers’ work. A specially designed tuk tuk also travelled around the camps broadcasting traditional Rohingya music.
Liepaja, Latvia
In the city of Liepaja on Latvia's Baltic Sea coast, locals and refugees from Ukraine gathered for a combined celebration of World Refugee Day and traditional midsummer festivities. The event organized by Shelter Safe House featured storytelling, local dishes and Latvian and Ukrainian songs, with everyone getting into the spirit of things!
Mirqaan, Ethiopia
Refugees and Ethiopians joined together for a friendly soccer match to mark World Refugee Day at Mirqaan, a new settlement in Ethiopia’s Somali region opened recently to house people fleeing clashes in Somalia’s Lascaanood City.
New York, USA
Queen’s Night Market, an open-air night market in the New York City borough of Queens, dedicated Saturday night to raising awareness and funds for UNHCR’s response to forced displacement around the world. Vendors representing culinary traditions from around the world, including refugees, came together to sell their food.
Tbilisi, Georgia
UNHCR Georgia has been hosting its annual Solidarity Walk amid the stunning backdrop of the Tbilisi Botanical Gardens. Refugees from different countries were joined by city residents, officials and partners for a day of celebration and musical performances.
Three refugee performers from Iran sing a song about freedom on stage at the Tbilisi Botanical Gardens in the Georgian capital.
© UNHCR/Nino Kajaia
Global
Education. Access to health care. Job opportunities. Artistic expression. Freedom of movement. Peace. These are some of the things that refugees from around the world told us give them hope away from home. What about you?
Baton Rouge, USA
After fleeing violence in Sierra Leone as a child, Dauda Sesay spent more than a decade in a refugee camp in Gambia before being relocated to the US in 2009. There he co-founded an organization that helps other refugees become self-reliant and give back to their communities, and advocates on refugee issues for several national bodies. He's written a powerful op-ed for World Refugee Day urging people to open their hearts to refugees and include them in finding solutions to the challenges they face. "Don't merely acknowledge our pain; act upon it," he writes.
Dauda Sesay attends the 2022 Annual Tripartite Consultations on Resettlement in Geneva, Switzerland, as the first refugee adviser to the US delegation.
© Courtesy of Dauda Sesay
Kakuma refugee camp, Kenya
UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, is spending this year's World Refugee Day in Kenya, which hosts around half a million refugees from other countries in East and Central Africa. While there he visited Kakuma refugee camp in the northwest of the country, meeting residents and members of the local community who put on a show including dancing and musical performances.
Japan
Traditionally, carp-shaped windsocks known as “koinobori” are flown in Japan to celebrate Children’s Day. Shibuya Źarny, a fashion designer who came to Japan from Myanmar as a refugee in 1993, partnered with manufacturer Tokunaga Koinobori to produce these blue carp streamers for World Refugee Day. Municipalities, private companies and members of the public are flying them to raise awareness about the plight of refugee children.
Blue carp streamers, designed by Shibuya Źarny, fly in front of Okayama Castle in Japan for World Refugee Day.
© UNHCR/Kimura Takuma
Bangkok, Thailand
Over 30 tuk tuks decorated with “Hope Away from Home” banners are circulating across Bangkok throughout June to spread the word about the theme of this year’s World Refugee Day.
Sonya Singha (Kat), a UNHCR High Profile Supporter, in one of the "Hope Away from Home" tuk tuks.
© UNHCR/Ton Jirakrit Meeanant
Stockholm, Sweden
A “Pass the Mic” event taking place on Tuesday evening in Stockholm will involve individuals with a refugee background taking to the stage to tell their own stories. The speakers from Afghanistan, Syria and Ukraine will share their personal experiences of fleeing home, of separation and uncertainty, but also of hope and building a new life in Sweden.
Athens, Greece
The Cooking #WithRefugees Festival organized by UNHCR and partners, is taking place in Athens until 22 June. Greek chefs from four restaurants are teaming up with refugee chefs from Syria, Afghanistan, Ukraine and Cameroon to serve fusion dishes that showcase the power of inclusion.
Syrian refugee Adel Boshi (right) and chef Gogo Delogianni hold two Syrian dishes they prepared together at Stoa Fix restaurant in Athens.
© UNHCR/Achilleas Zaval
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