World Refugee Day 2026; June 20th.

FORUM: "Until Everyone is Safe" World Refugee Day 2026. The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), informed that the date of June 20 is dedicated to stand with refugees and people forced to flee. There would be events around the world. UNHCR's new initiative "Until Everyone is Safe" asked for the defense of the fundamental right to seek safety, and it was important to remember that protection saved lives. The initiative spoke to younger generations driven by a desire for social justice and solidarity while also facing uncertainty and socio-economic pressures. It invited them to see asylum not as a distant, abstract issue, but as a collective safety net – one that protected the most vulnerable today and could protect any of us tomorrow. "Until Everyone is Safe" challenged stereotypes about refugees and emphasizes that the right to seek safety was a lifeline that went beyond merely escaping war or violence. It complemented the High Commissioner's recently outlined goal of reducing by more than half, over the next decade, the number of refugees in long-term displacement reliant on humanitarian assistance. To achieve this, it would be essential to expand opportunities for voluntary return and resettlement, as well as access to jobs, healthcare and education, and support for local integration – enabling refugees to move beyond survival and rebuild their lives in dignity. This year, solidarity was more important than ever as the right to seek asylum was under growing pressure around the world. UNHCR called on all to defend this lifeline and keep the promise of safety alive. Follow the conversations with the hashtags: #20june, #solidaritywithrefugees, #campaign, #worldrefugeeday.

EVENTS: On June 20th; The observance of World Refugee Day 2026 will be a moment to show solidarity with refugees, honoring their stories and showing unwavering support to their plight. Read the concept Note and Register to participate!

At UNHQ New York; The global ceremony of World Refugee Day 2026 will honor refugees and observe a minute of silence.

Around the globe: Find out how countries around the globe celebrate the day by selecting a country: World Refugee Day 2026 events in Australia and New Zealand – World Refugee 2026 events in Japan – World Refugee Day 2026 events in Thailand – World Refugee 2026 in Hong Kong – World Refugee Day 2026 events in Philippines – World Refugee Day 2026 events in Serbia – World Refugee Day 2026 events in Netherlands – World Refugee Day 2026 events in Iran – World Refugee Day 2026 events in Brazil – World Refugee Day 2026 events in Austria. This year, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency will launched a special campaign to create a global movement of solidarity with refugees. To participate Explore the list of worldwide events!

Statement of the United Nations Secretary-General on World Refugee Day 2026.


As divisions deepen across our world, new and protracted conflicts are compelling millions of women, children and men to seek safety far from home.

These turbulent times must be a moment for renewed solidarity and robust action to protect people displaced by conflict or persecution. That includes upholding the Refugee Convention, which has saved millions of lives since its adoption 75 years ago in the aftermath of the Second World War.

On World Refugee Day, we call for stronger support for all those forced to flee, as well as the countries and communities hosting them. By upholding international refugee law. Safeguarding the right to seek asylum. Forging solutions that enable refugees to live in safety and dignity, with real opportunities for self-reliance. And redoubling efforts towards peace.

Let us be inspired by the generosity of communities in developing countries, which host nearly three-quarters of the world’s refugees.

Together, we can protect the rights of all people forced to flee, now and for generations to come.

António Guterres, Secretary-General.

 

CAMPAIGN MATERIALS

This year, World Refugee Day focuses on the right to seek safety as a common safeguard for all of us.

The right to seek safety was made for you and me. 75 years ago, after the Second World War, the world made a promise: people forced to flee have the right to seek safety and protection. It was never meant for a few. It was meant for all of us.

No one is safe until the most vulnerable among us are. When people are forced to flee their homes, we all have a role to play. Ensuring protection for refugees strengthens communities, promotes stability, and saves lives.

This World Refugee Day, help keep the promise of safety alive. Stand with refugees. Until everyone is safe, we show up. Until everyone is safe, the work is not done. Get the poster!

World Refugee Day 2023; June 20th.

 FORUM: “Hope away from Home. A World where Refugees are always included.” World Refugee Day 2023.  Join us in celebrating the refugees who have shaped our lives through their inspiring stories, their strength and their talents. Follow the conversations with the hasntags: #20June, #WorldRefugeeDay, #Hopeawayfromhome.

Statement by the United Nations Secretary-General on World Refugee Day 2023; June 20th.

During my decade as United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, I witnessed the resilience and contributions of refugees across all walks of life. Their perseverance in the face of adversity inspires me every day. Refugees represent the very best of the human spirit. They need and deserve support and solidarity — not closed borders and pushbacks. As we mark World Refugee Day, we confront a startling statistic. More than 100 million people living in countries rocked by conflict, persecution, hunger and climate chaos have been forced to flee their homes. These are not numbers on a page. These are individual women, children and men making difficult journeys — often facing violence, exploitation, discrimination and abuse. This Day reminds us of our duty to protect and support refugees — and our obligation to open more avenues of support. This includes solutions to resettle refugees and to help them rebuild their lives in dignity. We need greater international support for host countries, as called for by the Global Compact for Refugees, to boost access to quality education, decent work, health care, housing and social protection. And we need much stronger political will to make peace, so refugees can return safely to their homes. This year’s theme is “Hope Away from Home.” I call on the world to harness the hope that refugees carry in their hearts. Let’s match their courage with the opportunities they need, every step of the way.

Antonio Guterres; United Nations Secretary-General.

We commit to continue listening to and amplifying refugee voices and invite you to mark together the day in unity and in solidarity with refugees. Watch the 2023 World Refugee Day celebrations worldwide!

WEBINARS: National WWI Museum and Memorial live ceremony to observe World Refugee Day 2023.

EVENTS: African Union Commemorates the World Refugee Day 2023.

INVITATION TO THE MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES

What: Commemoration of the World Refugee Day 2023

Theme: “Hope away from Home. A World where Refugees are always included”

When: Tuesday, 20 June 2023, starting from 9:30 am (EAT).

Where: African Union Headquarter, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Who: The Department of Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development (HHS) of the African Union Commission (AUC), in partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Why: The refugee problem continues to be a persistent challenge on the African continent due to complex factors. Conflicts and political instability affecting parts of Africa continue to force multitudes of African people into forced displacement in different countries. The widespread use of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW), terrorism and religious extremism has further compounded the situation, and also resulted in lives lost, homes and properties destroyed. These challenges are compounded by a sharp increase in food insecurity; notably in the Horn of Africa, Central Africa, Central and Western Sahel due to a combination of back-to-back poor rainy seasons, raging and protracted armed conflict with inter-communal violence in some of the contexts. Over 8 Million refugees currently seek asylum and are in need of International Protection on the continent. While some of the refugee situations are relatively new, many are protracted, dating back to over 30 years. In some instances, refugees have been displaced multiple times and some refugees have their third or even fourth generation living in asylum, with most having no connection to their places of origin. All this continues to create desperation and despair, in addition to eroding community resilience and self-reliance.

Many AU Member States have largely maintained a favorable asylum space allowing forcibly displaced persons access to their territory to seek and enjoy asylum, an approach that is buoyed by the African spirit of Ubuntu. The African Union (AU) and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) on their part have also shown strong momentum in responding to the ongoing crises at a time when humanitarian needs are severely underfunded due to competing needs globally. The African Continent also has one of the most progressive refugee legal framework. The 1969 OAU Refugee Convention (Governing Specific Aspects of Refugees), the bedrock of refugee protection on the continent, is considered the most generous and flexible international agreement on refugee protection. In addition to the 1969 OAU Convention, other regional human rights instruments, such as the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, and international conventions provide a full spectrum of refugee protection rights and obligations. The 2009 Kampala Convention, expanded on both the protection and assistance of both displaced persons and refugees, whilst also bringing the beneficial effects of durable solutions to both categories.

The 2023 World Refugee Day highlights the necessity to include refugees in national socio-economic systems. Including refugees in the communities where they have found safety after fleeing conflict and persecution is the most effective way to support them in restarting their lives and enable them to contribute to the countries hosting them. It’s also the best way to prepare them to return home and rebuild their countries, when conditions allow them to do so safely and voluntarily, or to thrive if they are resettled to another country. In line with the theme, the African Union are organising a panel discussion to theme Refugee inclusion: What role can key stakeholders play in moving the agenda forward?

Refugee inclusion is even more timely as the African Union and international community prepare for 2023 Global Refugee Forum (GRF), which will take place between 13 - 15 December in Geneva, with advance events on 12 December. It will provide an opportunity to build on the significant progress made by governments and other stakeholders towards the implementation of pledges and initiatives announced since 2019.

Objective: The objective of the commemoration initiative is to generate attention to the situation of refugees in Africa, the efforts of stakeholders in determining root causes and implementing policies to protect, assist, and find durable solutions for affected populations by:

1. Creating continental awareness of the ongoing pressing refugee needs and take stock of the challenges over the years and echo the growing consensus on the humanitarian emergencies driven by a combination of complex and inter-related circumstances;

2. Highlighting efforts of the African Union, Member States, and partners to prevent forced displacement, protect and assist people during displacement, and realize durable solutions for displaced people. Within this context, reflect on the new African Humanitarian Architecture, principally the operationalization of the African Humanitarian Agency as a vehicle for humanitarian action on the continent while noting the challenges on refugee protection and humanitarian access;

3. Reflecting on the outcomes of the humanitarian and pledging summit held in May 2022 in Malabo and mobilize support for post-Malabo plans of the AU Commission, the PSC, Member States, and Humanitarian Partners;

4. Stressing that respect for relevant legal frameworks including the 1969 OAU Convention, 2009 Kampala Convention and the CAP Humanitarian Effectiveness as it contributes to reducing the scale and impact of protection challenges for refugees, asylum seekers and bolstering of their welfare;

5. Emphasizing the imperatives of political and durable solutions; and

6. Accentuating the fundamental importance of adequate resources in the face of escalating Protection and Assistance needs for refugees.

Participant: Participants will include: Representatives from select AU member states hosting significant numbers of refugees; RECs and RMs; Representatives from the AU Commission and Organs; International Organizations: United Nations Office to the African Union (UNOAU), European Union (EU); Representatives from the AU partners Group (AUPG): Canada, The Netherlands, Switzerland, USA, France; Institute for Peace and Security Studies (IPSS); Institute for Security Studies (ISS); and Media.

Media representatives are invited to cover the Commemoration of the World Refugee Day 2023 on 20th June 2023.

For any additional information kindly contact:

1. Mr. Michel Nshimba | OIC Humanitarian Division, Department of Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development | E-mail: Nshimbam@africa-union.org

2. Mr. Hanson Ghandi Tamfu/ Gov’t Liaison Officer/ UNHCR Representation to the African Union and the Economic Commission for Africa (RAUECA), Email: Tamfu@unhcr.org

International Migrants Day 2013, December 18

United Nations Secretary-General’s Message for International Migrants Day 2013.

International migration is a powerful tool for reducing poverty and enhancing opportunity. That is why there are now some 232 million international migrants bringing consistent benefits to countries of destination and origin through their essential labour and remittances. Yet, this important population remains largely invisible and unheard in society. Too many live and work in the worst conditions with the least access to basic services and fundamental rights, making them disproportionately vulnerable to extortion, violence, discrimination and marginalization. 
Almost half of migrants are women; one in ten is under the age of 15; forty per cent live in developing countries.  Poor and low-skilled migrants face the highest barriers to social mobility.  The United Nations is acting to safeguard the rights of migrants, lower the social and economic costs of migration, and promote policies that maximize the benefits of mobility.  Migrants should not be forced to risk lives and dignity seeking better lives. Earlier this year, the Convention Concerning Decent Work for Domestic Workers, many of whom are migrants, came into force.  And, in October, United Nations Member States called for the post-2015 UN development agenda to take full account of the positive impact of international migration. They also committed to develop a framework for protecting migrants affected by humanitarian crises and recognized the need to facilitate international cooperation to address the challenges of migration in a holistic and comprehensive manner, with full respect for human rights.

On this International Migrants Day, I urge Governments to ratify and implement all core international human rights instruments, including the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families. And I call on people and Governments everywhere to reject xenophobia and embrace migration as a key enabler for equitable, inclusive and sustainable social and economic development. Migration is a reality of the 21st century. It is essential that we conduct an open debate on this important subject.  Let us make migration work for the benefit of migrants and countries alike. We owe this to the millions of migrants who, through their courage, vitality and dreams, help make our societies more prosperous, resilient and diverse.

Ban Ki-moon

This year was costliest on record for lives of migrants who died while crossing international borders IOM says.

• It’s Time to Take Action and Save Lives of Migrants
• Audio : International Migrants Day 2013  
• Join the forum : 18 December is International Migrants Day
• Animated infographic 

Calculating migrant deaths in border regions is a great challenge and the true number of deaths remains unknown.

 IOM DG’s Message on Migrants Day

For several years I have been saying that migration can be summed up by a series of D words: Demographics, Disasters, Demand, Disparities and Dreams. This year I am adding a new D: Desperation.

 The world watched in horror in October when some 360 African migrants lost their lives within sight of land while attempting to reach the Italian island of Lampedusa. Untold hundreds have perished on the journey from Indonesia to Australia, or off the coast of Thailand. Migrants from Central America are raped, robbed, beaten and killed as they try to enter the USA from Mexico. African migrants die of thirst in the vast desert reaches – their bones the only testimony to their failed journey. Why do people risk their lives and the lives of their families, over and over, every hour of every day when the best that awaits them is a frosty welcome? The answer is simple: Desperation. They fear staying in a land where they face persecution, or where their family starves. That desperation makes the risk of death a gamble they believe worth taking. Migrants face death, danger and disappointment in search of their dreams. They may be materially poor, and lack hope, they may take on massive debts from corrupt recruitment agencies or traffickers and smugglers in the hope of getting to a safe place, for a new start. They are often forced by economics and lack of land to the most dangerous places – the shoreline, the mountain slope, the riverside – and migrate because their shacks are washed away by climate extremes. We believe that 2013 may have been the worst on record for migrant deaths. We will never know the true total, as many migrants died anonymously in deserts, in oceans or other accidents. However, our figures show that at least 2,360 migrants died this year, chasing the dream of a new life. That’s over six a day; one every four hours. We live in an era of unprecedented human mobility, with more people on the move than any other time in recorded history. Natural disasters and conflict are adding to levels of migration: some 5,000 people a day left the Central Philippines following typhoon Haiyan last month. A further 100,000 fled fighting in the Central African Republic in December alone. For the poorest, most desperate migrants, borders have been shut over the years as countries respond to political drumbeats of alarm and move to curtail immigration.

 The paradox is that at a time when one in seven people around the world are migrants in one form or another (and more than 232 million people live outside their country of birth), we are seeing a harsh response to migration in the developed world. The few developed countries that are prepared to increase immigration levels generally want only highly-skilled, knowledge workers. The result is tightened border surveillance and reduced opportunities for would-be migrants. This, combined with political and economic upheaval, drives people into the hands of people smugglers whose unscrupulous trade is the fastest-growing sector in the organized crime world, estimated to be worth $35 billion a year. Migration is as old as humanity but we need to start thinking about it in new, smarter ways.

On this International Day we focus on the well-being and safety of migrants, IOM calls for strengthening of existing policies or develop new ones to protect human rights of those who leave home to seek better opportunities. We are ready to assist our member states and other partners in the development and implementation of those policies. We need measures that will enable employers in countries with labor shortages to access people desperate to work, and we need to ensure that these people are not exploited or exposed to gender based violence. We must work in a whole-of-government, whole-of-society approach in the best interests of countries, communities and people, in particular migrants themselves. I am not naïve. Managing migration is complicated and we may need hybrid scenarios. Short-term migration visas, seasonal visas, portable social welfare – all these things are being pioneered in different parts of the world and I believe they are moves in the right direction. In 2016 there will be a World Humanitarian Summit: IOM will be asking how the global humanitarian community can ensure that political upheaval, economic stress and natural calamities do not always lead to a second round of challenges whereby desperate migrants, abandoned to their fate, are forced to take desperate measures.

 

On the occasion of International Migrants Day, the UN Human Rights Office and the International Labour Organization launch a series of cartoons to challenge myths and encourage a positive public perception of migration.

ILO/OHCHR Cartoon key messages

“The public debate is dominated by xenophobic attitudes and discrimination, both in and outside the workplace,” said UN Human Rights Chief Navi Pillay and ILO Director-General Guy Ryder in a joint statement.

Reject Xenophobia, Embrace Migration as Key Development Enabler, United Nations Secretary-General Says in Message on International Migrants Day 2013.

United Nations Audio Library : Special event on the occasion of the International Migrants Day on “Classroom conversation on migration and development”

Angelina Jolie's message: The UNHCR Special Envoy promotes a campaign of tolerance for World Refugee Day.

Angelina Jolie's message:

 Campaign of tolerance for World Refugee Day.

UNHCR Global Trends 2011 - A Year of Crises

UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie asks you to do 1 thing to help refugees.

Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie, on the occasion of World Refugee Day 2011

15 June 2011

UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie asks you to do 1 thing to help refugees.

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