National Activity Plan 2006: Portugal

20 June 2006

UNHCR

"Refugees" crossing the border in a simulation of refugee situations at the scout camp on Vässarö Island. © UNHCR/G.Jusnes

World Refugee Day ceremonies will take place in both Portugal's second major city, Oporto and the capital Lisbon itself. The two events will focus on the plight of millions of refugees all over the world and try to illustrate this year's main theme «hope» through a series of artistic contributions.

The prestigious Casa do Artista in Lisbon will be the stage for a commemorative Evening Gala, organized by the Portuguese Refugee Council and supported by several well known and popular artists, who will contribute to the programme through a series of musical presentations. The PRC's theatre group «RefugiActo» will be present too, this time with a programme of poetry recitations, in Portuguese and in the mother language of each refugee participant. A recorded message from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Mr. António Guterres will open the Gala. Mr. Antonio Costa, Minister of Internal Administration will be present in the ceremony. The closing theme was specially composed for the event and will be interpreted by all guest artists together with members and volunteers of the PRC. Opening hour: 21.30 p.m.

In Oporto, the Museum Soares dos Reis will be the host for a mixed programme of conferences and artistic presentations, organized by the University of Oporto in co-operation with the Portuguese Refugee Council (PRC). Themes such as «The Condition of the Refugee within the Framework of Development Assistance Strategies» or «The New Concentration Camps: Refugees and Migration in the 21st Century» will call for our reflection on actual problems and challenges, while the poetry and musical programme is meant to reveal the different cultural identities within the world refugee population. The event's opening session is scheduled for 10.30 a.m. and the closing video session will start at about 15.40 p.m.

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