About World Refugee Day 2008
© UNHCR photo
On June 20, we celebrate World Refugee Day. This year, events around the world focus on the fundamental need for protection. For some, this means economic security; for others, protection is freedom from violence and persecution. On World Refugee Day, we turn our attention to the millions of refugees who live without material, social and legal protection.
Since its foundation in 1951, UNHCR has protected tens of millions of refugees. For us, protection consists of tangible improvements in the lives of forcibly displaced people - from the provision of food and shelter to support for those lacking legal status or those wishing to return to their home countries. On World Refugee Day, we commemorate this vital engagement.
Protection is also about raising awareness. We cannot protect refugees if their plight remains invisible. On World Refugee Day, we will highlight the universal nature of protection. Not only are refugees protected all around the globe, but the responsibility for protection is equally global.
Ultimately, protection is a challenge that knows no borders. Neither can it be left to a single agency to provide. On World Refugee Day, we are launching a global call for action. We want to promote engagement at the grassroots level, in local communities, workplaces and online. Only through a global network of supporters can we meet the manifold needs of protection.
How can you help?
Online social utilities provide excellent tools for advocacy. Become a fan on Facebook, support our cause and share our videos, photos and latest news with your friends. You can also find us on MySpace, YouTube and Flickr.
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UNHCR's Grandi urges increase in the scope of humanitarian assistance in Syria, including to people returning from displacement
18 Oct 2021 -
UN Agencies regret the death of persons on the move in Latin America, and stand ready to accompany a coordinated regional response
15 Oct 2021 Joint regional press release -
UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi urges support for crisis-hit Lebanon
15 Oct 2021 -
UNHCR calls on states to expedite family reunification procedures for Afghan refugees
15 Oct 2021 -
Tanzania
15 Oct 2021 -
On World Food Day, UN calls for strengthened and inclusive local food systems for displaced and host communities
15 Oct 2021 -
Hungry and shivering, Kabul displaced brace for bleak winter
15 Oct 2021 In Kabul, nearly 50,000 Afghans displaced from other parts of the country by recent fighting are desperate to receive aid before winter sets in. -
No safe place to go for asylum-seekers snared in Libya dragnet
14 Oct 2021 Desperate refugees and asylum-seekers in Tripoli in urgent need of assistance and protection amid security sweeps. -
Iranian father and son re-enact their story for Hungarian theatre goers
14 Oct 2021 Iranian refugee Abouzar and his son, Armin, chose to stay in Hungary despite being detained at the border for 18 months. A new theatre production offers some clues as to why.