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World Refugee Day - June 20
Why hold a refugee day?
Establishing a World Refugee Day allows for the optimal use of resources and ideas by galvanizing public attention on refugees during one internationally recognized day. Country by country, various refugee advocacy groups can join their energies to achieve maximum results with partners and sponsors. Each year the event will grow, building on the momentum and investment from previous years to ensure that World Refugee Day becomes an anticipated annual celebration.
Celebrating and recognizing the contribution of refugees is an important step towards breaking negative stereotypes. Globally, public interest in and awareness of refugees and their plight have been increasing due to media coverage of violent conflicts around the world. However, in any particular refugee-hosting country, as time passes, media attention is turned elsewhere. The consequences upon refugees of the conflicts in any one place eventually attract less media attention and public interest subsequently wanes.
The media or public attention given to refugees is often negative: it is the drama of their plight that is usually featured, while their potential and positive contributions to society and their host countries are seldom mentioned.
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.
- It is part of UNHCR's public awareness strategy to diminish inaccurate and negative perceptions of refugees.
- Holding a World Refugee Day celebration can rivet or increase public awareness of refugee issues and channel interest and attitudes along more positive and constructive lines.
There are also many other possible objectives for holding a World Refugee Day, such as:
- to provide an opportunity to reaffirm the values upon which international agreements of refugee protection are based
- to develop a positive attitude among target audiences of their country’s heritage of offering sanctuary and asylum to refugees
- to attract positive media coverage of refugee issues
- to provide a public opportunity to lobby local, regional and/or national level decision-makers about issues affecting refugees
- to provide an opportunity for refugees to celebrate and express their cultural identity
- to provide an occasion for elected officials, policy-makers and the public to meet refugees ◊ to provide an opportunity for interagency cooperation
- to help refugee agencies to increase their profile and visibility.
Key Principles
There are several key principles which are crucial to organizing a successful event of this nature. Partnerships are vital, especially when dealing with limited resources. Working with governments, local NGOs, other UN agencies or community groups which have a vested interest in refugee issues is an excellent way to build new bridges and to maximize resources. Identifying those who may already celebrate a Refugee Day and who would welcome the participation of another group would bring, allows you to increase the scope of your event.
Piggy-backing can be a most effective way to gain maximum exposure with minimal resources. Piggy-backing means identifying an event that is already scheduled to take place on 20 June, whether it be a concert, exhibit, fair or any other public occasion, and negotiating to have it dedicated to the celebration of World Refugee Day.
Securing local sponsorship for planned events and activities will help to increase public interest and media attention as well as funding of your event. In-kind donations can come in many forms, such as a waiver of rental charges for the venue or free publicity through donated advertising space on the radio or in local papers. You may obtain sponsorship from locally based companies, in return for their logo appearing on the event poster, brochure, T-shirts and advertisements. Local merchants are a potential source of both cash and in-kind donations. The more participation from the local business community the better. Once you have local sponsors on board they will have a vested interest in the success of your event.
Organizing a planning committee or steering group to help pull the event together will also ease the burden of planning. This group can help develop the objectives, targets, theme and event activities for the celebrations as well as help to secure local sponsorship and publicity.
The success of your World Refugee Day will be enhanced if you engage the community in the activities. As early as possible, put out an appeal for volunteers to assist with the various tasks. These people will feel involved in the day’s celebration and this could become a base for future support for your public awareness raising activities.
Employing these key principles will help you to make the most of your comparatively scarce resources - money, goodwill and time.
Often classified unfairly with economic migrants, refugees flee their country not for economic gain but to escape persecution, the threat of imprisonment and even threats to their lives. They need a safe haven where they can recover from mental and physical trauma and rebuild their hopes for a better future.
The intolerance that is often at the root of internal displacement and refugee flows is also present in some of the countries that refugees flee to. Instead of finding empathy and understanding, they are often met with mistrust or scorn.
On World Refugee Day, let's not forget that some day in the future any one of us could be knocking at a stranger's door hoping to find a safe and friendly shelter. We should extend refugees the same kind of welcome we would like to receive if we were in their position.
While most refugees want to go home, some cannot safely return. But wherever they are, refugees will always strive to pick up the pieces and start over. The courage and determination demonstrated during their darkest hours will serve them well in rebuilding a new life. On World Refugee Day, let us honour them for these qualities and recognise the richness and diversity they bring to our societies.