Today is World Refugee Day!
World Refugee Day is an international observance marked on June 20th each year. It is dedicated to raising awareness of the situation of refugees throughout the world.
The United Nations, United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and countless civic groups around the world host World Refugee Day events in order to draw the public’s attention to the millions of refugees and Internally displaced persons worldwide.
Many of these people have been forced to flee their homes due to war, conflict and persecution.
The annual commemoration is marked by a variety of events in more than 100 countries, involving government officials, humanitarian aid workers, celebrities, civilians and the forcibly displaced themselves.
The African Refugee Day had been formally celebrated in several countries prior to 2000.
The UN noted that the Organization of African Unity (OAU) had agreed to have International Refugee Day coincide with Africa Refugee Day on 20 June.
