The performance of Clowns Without Borders for refugee children in Refugee Reception Centre, World Refugee Day 2009. Photo: Lithuanian Red Cross, Egle Samuchovaite.

World Refugee Day 2009

Real People, Real Needs

Every year, the world’s refugees and UNHCR joins their voices to ask the world to commemorate the 42 million people that has been forcibly displaced in the world. In the Nordic countries, UNHCR Stockholm reached out to the media to help us spread the word of World Refugee Day, calling attention to the real needs of those that have been forced to flee.

To this end, UNHCR, together with the Finnish Refugee Council, held a press conference in Helsinki, in which the Global Trends statistical report for 2008 was presented.

Also, UNHCR Stockholm and the Swedish Civil Aviation Administration brought a glimpse of the IDP camps of the Democratic Republic of the Congo directly to the Swedish midsummer tourists. The short film, set to the song Gimme Shelter by Rolling Stones and produced by Ben Affleck, was screened at 14 Swedish airports throughout World Refugee Day.

All over the Nordic and Baltic region a number of events were held to celebrate this day, and to pay homage to those that have been forced to flee.

At Rukla and Pabrade reception centre in Lithuania, Clowns Without Borders performed for refugees and asylum-seeking children. In addition, the Lithuanian Ministry of Social Affairs held a seminar shortly before World Refugee Day for various organizations working with asylum issues.

In Iceland, the Icelandic Red Cross organized ‘multi-ethnic’ live music, traditional dances and dishes together with Intercultural Center, refugees and support groups in the center of Reykjavik.

	World Refugee Day 2009 in Reykjavik. Photo: Icelandic Red Cross, Sólveig Hildur Björnsdóttir

In Denmark, local track and field clubs put on their running shoes in order to raise money and awareness to refugee women. The “Run without detours” was organized by the Danish Refugee Council (DRC). In addition, DRC, together with a local cinema, marked WRD with a refugee role play and by screening four movies on refugees and asylum.

Finally, World Refugee Week was celebrated in Latvia. A number of events, including a UNHCR facilitated photo exhibition, simulation games, film screening of UNHCR produced movie Baltic Saga  and a cultural programme with refugees from Georgia, were organized by Asylum Safe House, a local NGO, and Latvian authorities.
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