A World Refugee Day event is a tool by which UNHCR and its partners can increase the public's awareness of refugees and the issues which affect them. It provides an ideal occasion to influence the attitudes of the public along more positive and constructive lines. This year's theme for World Refugee Day was "Hope".

At the UN Refugee Agency we are motivated by the hopefulness of refugees, despite the hardships they face. The focus for this year’s World Refugee Day on June 20th is the hope that refugees hold for a better future, for themselves and for their children.

A group of Colombian refugees in Venezuela demonstrate that indomitable spirit as they learn weaving skills at one of the UN Refugee Agency’s projects – skills that will enable them to be selfsufficient. At the same time, the 20 women are sharing stories, giving each other support and encouragement – and planning a cooperative to sell the products they make. They hope and trust their children will have more chances. One refugee shares her regrets about her lack of schooling and says she is doing all she can to give her daughters an education so they can enjoy more independence than she did.

The Burundian refugee pupils of Kimwanya school in Tanzania are also full of hope. The school lacked fresh water and toilets. Thanks to the UN Refugee Agency’s donors, the school now has toilets, water points and regular water deliveries – and a new school building is under construction. “These young students now face a much brighter future,” explains headmistress Gaudencia Kimori. Madame Kimori also anticipates improvements for the refugees – many of whom she taught English in the refugee camps. Now she sees them returning home. “I can tell from their eyes how excited they are to go home,” she says.

We are inspired by stories of hope like these, and – with your help – are determined to do all we can to meet the hopeful expectations of refugees. Join us by visiting www.unhcr.ca/wrd to learn more about this day of “hope” in Canada and around the world.