By Kimetha Hill
Contributing Writer
June is celebrated as World Refugee Month, where the plight of refugees is recognized internationally. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Agency (UNHCR) reported at the beginning of 2012 about 10.4 million refugees worldwide. Living in the United States can cloud the reality of the lives of refugees for many Americans. And for the millions of refugees who are forcibly displaced to countries not of their home, coming to a new land can be quite scary. But there are many organizations that aim to highlight World Refugee Day, to bring awareness to millions of individuals and families without a home.
A refugee is defined as any person who has been forced out of their home country due to persecution because of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, being a member of a persecuted group or fleeing war. Make no mistake, if you encounter a refugee here in the U.S., they are not here by choice.
A study done by Oxfam International, a British-based anti-poverty organization earlier this year released a report citing that the richest 85 people in the world control the same amount of wealth as the poorest 3.5 billion people. It is safe to assume that most refugees who are fleeing their home countries are coming from third world countries. Poverty is the achilles heel of our world. And though eradicating it will not solve every problem, it can be identified as a root to many ills.
World Refugee Day was established by the United Nations to honor the courage, strength and determination of women, men and children who are forced to flee their homes under threat of persecution, conflict and violence. On December 4, 2000, the United Nations General Assembly in Resolution 55/76 established June 20 as World Refugee Day. The inaugural year was 2001. Prior to 2001, African Refugee Day had been formally celebrated in several countries.
Locally, the Alliance for African Assistance celebrates World Refugee Day everyday with its daily contributions to the amelioration of the refugee community in the city. San Diego is home to one of the largest refugee populations in the country, housing over 100,000. On this Friday, June 20, Alliance for African Assistance & Alliance Health Clinic will hold their 13th annual World Refugee Day Celebration at La Jolla Presbyterian Church from 8:30 am until 11:30 am.
Alliance’s celebration recognizes refugees in the community who have excelled in their resettlement process and are now giving back to the community through their time and volunteer work with newly resettled refugees. Mr. Lam started Alliance to cater to the needs of newly resettled refugees that are so often neglected.
In the past 25 years, Alliance has resettled over 7,500 refugees from more than 30 different ethnic backgrounds. Realizing the great need for affordable medical care, the Alliance Health Clinic opened its doors in 2007, providing on-site comprehensive medical care to refugees regardless of a client’s ability to pay.
The celebration on Friday will include refugee success stories, a volunteer and community awards ceremony, cultural performances, silent auction, and special key note speakers. Guests will learn about the refugee struggle in San Diego, as well as meet refugees and hear their stories. This will also be an opportunity to learn of the extensive work Alliance and the Alliance Health Clinic perform in the community.
Proceeds from this year’s World Refugee Day celebration will support the Alliance for African Assistance Child Sponsorship Program through which partnering donors offer scholarships to educate Uganda’s most vulnerable children. The Alliance for African Assistance Child Sponsorship Program partners with donors and the communities from which many refugees have originated to improve the lives of children and their families.
Though World Refugee Day is celebrated every year on June 20, the struggle refugees face in simply trying to survive goes on 365 days a year. The hope of World Refugee Day and Month is to highlight one of the world’s most vulnerable populations and create change that will sustain humankind.
For more information on Alliance for African Assistance, please visit http://www.alliance-for-africa.org.
