The world is currently witnessing the highest levels of forced displacement. An unprecedented 68.5 million people around the world have been forced from home. Every minute 20 people leave everything behind to escape war, persecution or terror.
On World Refugee Day, held every year on 20 June 20th, we commemorate the strength, courage and perseverance of millions of refugees; it is a key moment for the public to show support for families forced to flee.
This year, we ask you to take part in the campaign #StepWithRefugees
This campaign encourages people to support refugees by championing individual acts of solidarity. These acts, when taken together, acknowledge the resilience and strength of refugees.
UNHCR traced the journeys of refugees around the world and calculated that collectively, people forced to flee travel approximately two billion kilometres every year to reach the first point of safety. In 2016, Syrian refugees travelled more than 240 kilometres to reach Turkey. South Sudanese refugees travelled more than 640 kilometres to reach Kenya and Rohingya refugees in Myanmar travelled approximately 80 kilometres to reach Bangladesh.
The 2 Billion Kilometres to Safety campaign invites people to act in solidarity and run, walk or cycle to achieve a cumulative total of two billion kilometres. Participants can use their fitness apps or the campaign website – www.stepwithrefugees.org – to log the kilometres and contribute to a global total.
Join events in different cities of Ukraine:
- Kyiv, 20 June, Press-briefing on Global Trends Report (UNHCR)
- Kyiv, 20 June, Watch UkrLife TV marathon dedicated to the WRD 2019 (UNHCR)
- Kyiv, 20 June, World Refugee Day festival in the Tarasa Shevchenko park in Kyiv (CF “Rokada”)
- Sviatohirsk, 22 June, WRD Plogging (jogging/walking with picking up litter) (UNHCR)
- Kharkiv, 22 June, World Refugee Day Run (5 km, 10 km) (UNHCR)
- Maryinka, 21 June WRD Celebration and Planting trees (UNHCR)
- Stanytsia–Luhanska, Valuyske, Sievierodonetsk, 20 June WRD Movie Screenings (UNHCR)
- Odesa, 4 June, Human library with refugees (NGO “10th April”)
- Odesa, 8 June, Children’s festival dedicated to the International Children’s Day (NGO “10th April”)
- Odesa, 14 June, Presentation of the documentary “5 stories” (NGO “10th April”)
- Odesa, 20 June, The opening ceremony of the PCP. Open football tournament “Respect” (NGO “10th April”)
- Odesa, 21 June, Festival “Celebrate Diversity”: World Refugee Day (NGO “10th April”)
- Mukacheve, Perechyn, 20 June, Master-classes, sport activities and animators for children on the renovated sport-yard (CF “NEEKA”)
- Ivano–Frankivsk, 20 June, Football tournament for children + UEFA photo-exhibition on displacement (NGO CrimeaSOS)
- Poltava, 22 June, Scandinavian walk (NGO CrimeaSOS)
- Chernivtsi, 15 June, Art flash-mob, photo-exhibition of pictures from countries with conflicts and refugees. Screenings of movies on situation in Ukraine. Art-performance in the city center (NGO CrimeaSOS)
Some ideas for the celebration of the World Refugee Day 2019 in your city/community:
- For local governments: Sign a statement and become a City With Refugees/IDPs, organize events and activities to celebrate;
- Sport events (walking, cycling, running, football match) to join the 2 Billion Kilometers Campaign: http://bit.ly/2Ze2P4v;
- Discussions/round tables and workshops to attract attention to problems refugees and IDPs are facing and try to find solutions;
- Cultural event (concert, performance, art, speeches, dance or poetry event) to explain the situation of refugees, IDPs, stateless people and acknowledge participants with the culture of different countries;
- Exhibitions of portraits/stories or refugees/IDPs/Stateless People
- Language exchange sessions;
- The Human Library events;
- Fashion event to exhibit clothing traditions in different countries;
- Cooking schools to cook together and taste food from different countries.
Please, see the list of global events to observe the World Refugee Day in 2018: https://www.unhcr.org/withrefugees/world-refugee-day/
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