UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency and the Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies co-organising a panel discussion in commemoration of World Refugee Day. © QRCS
World Refugee Day (WRD) is observed on 20 June to show solidarity with people forced to flee and to celebrate their resilience. This year, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, marked WRD in the State of Qatar with a range of activities to raise awareness about the plight of refugees and honour their strength.
This World Refugee Day, the focus was on solidarity with and finding solutions for those who left everything behind in search of safety, highlighting the importance of keeping doors open and working together for a world where refugees are welcomed. Currently, in 2024, more than 120 million people have been forced from their homes and countries. Behind these unprecedented and increasing numbers are countless human lives disrupted by forced displacement.
To underscore the value of solidarity with refugees and the need for lasting solutions to their challenges, UNHCR co-organised a panel discussion with the Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies (CHS) in Doha. The panel, titled “Beyond Traditional Solutions: Innovative Approaches to Refugee Support,” focused on community efforts, legal frameworks, and human rights-based approaches, emphasising the importance of building on existing strengths within refugee communities and host societies. The discussion leveraged the diverse expertise of the panellists, including representatives from CHS, the Qatar Red Crescent Society, the International Committee of the Red Cross delegation in Qatar, and the Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Sudan.
UNHCR also organised a concert by the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra at Qatar National Library to celebrate refugees’ rich cultures and bring them to the public in Doha. The music performance, titled “Symphonies of Resilience,” featured pieces from Afghanistan, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, and Yemen, highlighting the universal language of music.
In collaboration with UNHCR’s high-profile supporter, Mr. Khalifa Al-Haroon, the Doha-based gaming shop “974 Store” hosted an activation during Eid Al-Adha week, using virtual reality headsets to showcase the difficulties of life as a refugee and raise awareness about forced displacement. Additionally, the store dedicated space for an exhibition to display a curated selection of handcrafted items made by refugees through the MADE51 initiative, an innovative, market-based model by UNHCR that promotes the economic inclusion of refugees in global value chains.
UNHCR and CHS panel in Doha featuring speakers from the Qatar Red Crescent Society, the International Committee of the Red Cross delegation in Qatar, and the Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Sudan. © QRCS
Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra performing 'Symphonies of Resilience' for the audience at Qatar National Library. © UNHCR
974 Store in Doha hosting a VR experience and exhibition for refugee awareness during Eid Al-Adha. © UNHCR
Furthermore, following the recent renewal of its partnership with Qatar Airways (QA) Cargo, UNHCR released a video highlighting the importance of this partnership in delivering humanitarian aid to refugees through the Qatari flagship airline’s “WeQare” programme. The video featured Mr. Ahmed Mohsen, UNHCR Representative to the State of Qatar, and Mr. Mark Drusch, the Chief Cargo Officer at QA, who reaffirmed the airline’s commitment to supporting UNHCR’s humanitarian efforts across the region and beyond.
With the number of forcibly displaced people at a record high and at a time of widespread conflict and political and economic upheaval, refugees need our solidarity now more than ever. While they are often forced to leave their possessions behind, their creativity, skills, and qualifications stay with them. And because being a refugee is a circumstance, not who a person is, efforts on World Refugee Day are focused on their right to seek safety, build support for their economic and social inclusion, and advocate for long-lasting solutions to their plight.
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