In the 30 degree heat, Faridah Luanda, 23, rushed around the football pitch and accommodation centre in northern Stockholm to make sure everything was in order to celebrate this year’s World Refugee Day.
“This day is very important in our lives,” Faridah explained. “I celebrate the strength and courage of refugees all around the world who are working tirelessly to support their communities.”
Faridah, a refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo, arrived to Sweden in February this year. She is a member of UNHCR’s Global Youth Advisory Council, which has been appointed to further the UN Refugee Agency’s work with youth.
© Max-Michel Kolijn
Together with UNHCR and the local refugee accommodation centre, Faridah organized a football match, fika – a Swedish term for coffee and something sweet – and an art station to bring refugees and the local community together, and mark World Refugee Day.
Around 70 newly arrived refugees, local community members, and UNHCR staff gathered at the pitch to get to know one another, share experiences and enjoy the warm summer day. Several of the refugees, originally from countries including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, South Sudan, and Sudan, arrived to Sweden recently through UNHCR’s resettlement programme.
“World Refugee Day is very important because it unites people,” said Luke from the Democratic Republic of Congo, after having participated in the football match.
World Refugee Day falls on 20 June each year and aims to honour refugees around the world, raise awareness of the global refugee situation, and build empathy and understanding. The focus this year is on the power of inclusion.
UNHCR’s theme for World Refugee Day 2021 is Together we heal, learn and shine, which aims to highlight the importance of refugee protection and inclusion in health care, education and sport. At the football pitch, children and adults, refugees and locals, were split into teams for a friendly game. UNHCR shirts were used as jerseys and reached the ankles of some of the smaller players.
© Max-Michel Kolijn
Over at the art station, children and young people designed footballs as part of UNHCR’s Youth #WithRefugees Art Contest. Joining youth across the world in the activity, five designs will be turned into footballs produced by refugees and host community members in Kenya and later be sold to support refugees’ sporting opportunities.
Henrik Nordentoft, UNHCR Representative to the Nordic and Baltic Countries, highlighted the importance of celebrating the day. “We celebrate World Refugee Day every year as a way to pay tribute to the refugees, to their plight, to the fact that they have gone through so many hardships, but also that they have now come to a place of safety. It is a way to pay tribute to their courage and their resilience.”
“We represent the United Nations, but behind me is the united nations,” Nordentoft said, and added that, “It is a wonderful day to just be able to celebrate and have this moment together.”
© Max-Michel Kolijn
Two days earlier, UNHCR released its annual Global Trends Report, detailing the magnitude and severity of forced displacement in the world. At a time when 82.4 million persons globally are forcibly displaced, the importance of marking World Refugee Day could not be greater.
Drawing our attention to the situation of refugees globally, Faridah explains that, “This day reminds us not only of our own experiences, but of the strength of refugees all around the world.”
© Max-Michel Kolijn
© Max-Michel Kolijn
© Max-Michel Kolijn
© Max-Michel Kolijn
© Max-Michel Kolijn
© Max-Michel Kolijn
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