There are 100 million people worldwide who are displaced because of conflict, violence or persecution, with 26.6 million considered refugees who were forced to flee their countries for safety elsewhere.
To acknowledge the plight of refugees, the Moose Jaw Multicultural Council (MJMC) is hosting a free World Refugee Day event at the Moose Jaw Public Library on June 18 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the Herb Taylor Room on the second floor. Former refugees from Venezuela, South Sudan and Syria will speak about their struggles.
“The whole point of the event is to really to share stories and have people come to learn more about the refugee experience. I think stories are a great way for people to connect with one another,” said Kaleigh Pousett, community connections co-ordinator with MJMC.
Some residents might think they have nothing in common with a refugee from another country, but storytelling makes it easier to find the commonalities between people, she continued. The MJMC hopes to introduce residents to former refugees who have made Moose Jaw home and build connections through this event.
Last year’s event was held at a coffee shop in a coffeehouse-style format, something Pousett hopes to repeat during this year’s event at the library. There will be coffee, treats and live music in a space where people can mingle, interact and meet others.
“We have a much greater capacity for more people this year, which is exciting, so I’m hoping there will be just some good mingling and connection-building that happens there,” Pousett said.
Last year 30 people attended the MJMC’s World Refugee Day event, a number limited because of pandemic restrictions. With such restrictions lifted, 60 people can now attend. However, because of the room’s size, people must register beforehand through the MJMC’s website.
World Refugee Day typically falls on June 20 and is dedicated to refugees around the globe. The day was first held on June 20, 2001, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the 1951 convention about the status of refugees. It was originally known as Africa Refugee Day before the United Nations General Assembly officially designated it as an international day in December 2000.
World Refugee Day celebrates the strength and courage of people forced to flee their home country to escape conflict or persecution. The UN says it is an occasion to build empathy and understanding for their plight and recognize their resilience in rebuilding their lives.
The motto of World Refugee Day is that whoever refugees are, wherever they are, and whenever they are forced to flee their country, they have the right to seek safety elsewhere.
Many refugees live in camps until they are resettled, some of which are dangerous or not well-equipped for long-term living. Refugees don’t always have a say about the country to which they are relocated, while the bureaucratic process involved in finding a new home can take years.
World Refugee Day is important because it builds empathy and raises awareness, provides an incentive to create a more peaceful world and encourages people to be better friends, neighbours and citizens.