World Refugee Day is observed June 20 each year and is dedicated to raising awareness of the situation of refugees throughout the world. On 4 December 2000, the United Nation General Assembly in Resolution 55/76 decided that 20 June would be celebrated as world refugee day. In this resolution, the General Assembly noted that 2001 marked the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees.
African Refugee Day had been formally celebrated in several countries prior to 2000.
The UN noted that the African Union had agreed to have international refugee day on 20 June as well. In the Roman Catholic Church, the World Day of Migrants and Refugees is celebrated in January each year, having been instituted in 1914 by Pope Pius.
Each year on June 20 the United Nation Refugee Agency, (UNHCR) and countless civic groups around the world host World Refugee Day events in order to draw public attention to the million of refugees and internally displaced person worldwide, who have been forced to flee their homes due to war, conflict and persecution.
The annual commemoration is marked by a variety of event in more than 100 countries, involving government official, humanitarians aid workers, celebrities, civilians and forcibly displaced themselves. Each year UNHCR announces a theme for it World Refugee Day Campaign and the theme for this year celebration is “Hope.”
While global refugee figure dropped 31% since 2001, returnees often still faced a bleak future back home. Greater focus is needed on ensuring countries move forward after conflict.
The international community needs to devote much more attention to the transition between relief and development and to rebuild societies ripped apart by violence so that refugees who go home, can stay home.
During the 11-year civil war in Sierra Leone, a lot of Sierra Leoneans went to Guinea, Liberia, Gambia and Nigeria to seek refuge.
According to Alfred Sesay who was a refugee in Guinea, “Life is very difficult for any person, who is a refugee. You cannot get what you want and you are restricted to a particular location.” Sesay maintained that for June 20 to be observed as international refugee day is a laudable venture.
MJB/19/6/18
By Mohamed J. Bah
Wednesday June 20, 2018.
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