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 Sport Strategy - More than a Game
14 Nov 2022 The UNHCR Sport Strategy, 'More than a Game', outlines UNHCR's approach to working with and through the sport world to improve the lives of displaced and stateless persons. -
UN Refugee Agency warns of extreme hardship for forcibly displaced families this winter
11 Nov 2022 -
Displaced people join efforts to adapt to climate change in Mozambique
10 Nov 2022 With UNHCR's help, refugees and internally displaced people hit by cyclones are building new homes that can withstand the impacts of climate change. -
Dear Refugee
Young people write letters to refugees who have shaped their lives. -
Map of key locations
9 Nov 2022 -
UN Assistant High Commissioner for Refugees calls for joint action to address shifting challenges of mixed movements in the Americas
9 Nov 2022 -
'As a refugee, I have seen the impacts of the climate crisis up close'
9 Nov 2022 From drought and flooding to increasing competition for scarce resources, South Sudanese refugee Opira Bosco Okot knows only too well how the climate crisis has made life harder for displaced people. -
In Mozambique, the displaced are battling climate change on the frontlines
8 Nov 2022 -
South Sudanese refugee fights deforestation in Uganda by planting trees
8 Nov 2022