World Refugee Day 2020 // Everyone Can Make a Difference. Every Action Counts

Meet the teenagers who are volunteering to sew facemasks!

Unaccompanied asylum-seeking teenagers in Cyprus, who for various reasons, such as war and persecution, have lost or have been separated from their families, live in shelters around the island. Once they come of age, they must leave the shelters and fend for themselves as young adults, many without the necessary language skills or any vocational training. None of these children have any family network to support them through this transition. In an initiative led by the Occupational Therapy Programme of the European University Cyprus, some of these youngsters are volunteering to sew facemasks together with students from the Programme who are on practical placements. Through this experience, the asylum-seeking children get an opportunity to give something back to the host society, while also learning valuable skills that can help them in their transition into adult life. The facemasks will be given to refugees and other vulnerable groups in Cyprus, such as the elderly, in collaboration with local authorities and organisations such as the Multifunctional Foundation of the Nicosia Municipality.

Cooking with asylum-seeking women under the care of Caritas

In collaboration with Caritas Cyprus we recently had the opportunity to meet a group of asylum-seeking women living in Cyprus who decided to cook together and present their traditions and stories on the occasion of #WorldRefugeeDay. Having fled from danger and persecution, these women are particularly vulnerable, but under the care of Caritas they feel safe again. Their future is unknown. Without their own families to support them, they help and support each other, creating together a new sense of home. Meet the pastry chef and the mothers from Cameroon, and the nurse from Eritrea!

Learning, friendship and community-led action

The Learning Refuge in Pafos is a community-led space where the kindness of volunteers meets the needs of families, including refugees, in the wider Pafos area. Under this Caritas Pafos initiative, people from all walks of life from Cyprus and different parts of the world come together and support each other through art, language lessons, theatre workshops and much more. Volunteers at the Learning Refuge also collect and distribute food and other items in order to assist families in the area – an endeavour that took even more effort and priority during the recent pandemic lockdown. Through all this kindness towards others from people like Mary, Anne, Rehab and her daughter Rama, and the safety and warmth that is created, individual lives are changed, and lasting friendships and memories are formed.

UNHCR’s Global Trends Report

UNHCR’s annual Global Trends report, which comes two days ahead of 20 June World Refugee Day, shows that an unprecedented 79.5 million were displaced as of the end of 2019. One per cent of humanity is displaced. UNHCR has not seen a higher total.

Download the full report here.

Other events and volunteer actions marking World Refugee Day 2020 in Cyprus

Thursday 18 June 2020 // 18:30-19:30 Local Cyprus Time

On the occasion of the World Refugee Day 2020 the AWARE Campaign organized a Multicultural Live-Streamed Event with refugee and asylum-seeking artists and musicians from different parts of the world. Participants performed and sent their messages against racism and xenophobia raising awareness about the need for mutual respect between host societies and refugees.

The AWARE campaign is co-funded by the European Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund and the Republic of Cyprus.

Watch again here.

AGABI means love! Refugees in Limassol are volunteering, giving back to their community.

AGAPI Limassol Cyprus honours and appreciates all refugees who have given their time and energy to help our work. Their kindness, compassion and contribution are inspirational and a testament to how anyone can become an essential asset to any society.

Watch them in action here!