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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Assistance slowly returns to refugee camps in southern Tigray
21 Jan 2021 UNHCR regains access to Adi Harush and Mai Aini camps while two other camps for Eritrean refugees remain cut off by the ongoing insecurity. -
Statement of European-Union
21 Jan 2021 -
Assistance slowly returns to refugee camps in southern Tigray
21 Jan 2021 -
'All I want is a doctor for my brother and a school for me'
20 Jan 2021 More than 2,200 asylum seekers and refugees have now been relocated from reception centres on Greek islands and elsewhere in Greece to other European countries. -
IOM, UNHCR: Shipwreck off Libya claims over 40 Lives
20 Jan 2021 -
'A whole new world has opened in front of me'
20 Jan 2021 For 50,000 formerly stateless people in Uzbekistan, citizenship will unlock the door to foreign travel, the right to vote and allow them a new-found dignity. -
Thousands of Central Africans seek refuge in Cameroon
19 Jan 2021 A resurgence of violence in the Central African Republic has driven 5,000 Central Africans to seek safety across the border in Cameroon. -
Taekwondo coach scores gold with Uzbek citizenship
19 Jan 2021 -
Central African fleeing post-election insecurity cross into Cameroon
19 Jan 2021