June 20 marks World Refugee Day: Will the suffering ever end?

CAIRO – 20 June 2021: World Refugee Day is a global day designated by the United Nations in honor of refugees around the world. It falls on June 20 of every year.

This day highlights the strength and courage of people who were forced to flee their homeland to escape conflict or persecution. World Refugee Day is also an occasion to mobilize sympathy, understanding of their plight and appreciation of their resolve to rebuild their lives.

World Refugee Day sheds light on the rights, needs and dreams of refugees. It helps mobilize political will and resources so that refugees can succeed, not just survive.

While it is important to protect and improve the lives of refugees every day, international events such as World Refugee Day help shift global attention towards the plight of those fleeing conflict or persecution. The many activities that take place on World Refugee Day provide opportunities to support refugees.

World Refugee Day falls on June 20 every year, and is an occasion dedicated to refugees around the world. The first celebration of this day was held worldwide for the first time on June 20, 2001, on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees.

That day was previously known as African Refugee Day, before the United Nations’ General Assembly officially designated it as International Refugee Day in December 2000.

Each year, World Refugee Day is marked by the organization of a variety of activities in many countries around the world with the aim of supporting refugees. These activities are led or involved by refugees themselves, as well as by government officials, host communities, businesses, celebrities, schoolchildren, the general public, among others.