2008 Commemoration of Africa/World Refugee Day

2008 Commemoration of Africa/World Refugee Day by the African Union and the UNHCR

Theme: “Refugee Protection”

The African Union and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) mark the 20th of June of every year as Africa/World Refugee Day. The day is an opportunity for the two organizations to draw the attention of the world to the plight of refugees and other displaced persons. It is also an opportunity to recognize the courage and resilience of refugees and other displaced persons and to renew commitment to solving the problems they face.
Although many countries have been observing this day at the national level, Africa prides itself in being the first Continent that has officially marked Africa Refugee Day for more than three decades. In fact the universal commemoration of World Refugee Day is an initiative that grew out of Africa Refugee Day, which has been observed by African nations since 1974, the year the 1969 OAU Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa entered into force.
This year the central theme of World Refugee Day will be “REFUGEE PROTECTION.” Despite its centrality to the mandate and work of UNHCR, the concept of refugee protection and its many facets are not easily understood by many. Thus, the 2008 World Refugee Day commemoration will be used to start off a longer-term campaign to better convey what is meant by protection and why it is important for everyone.
The events leading to and on the actual World Refugee Day will encapsulate the concerted humanitarian efforts that the African Union and the UNHCR, as well as partners dedicate to the protection and assistance of displaced people in Africa and beyond.

A joint African Union-UNHCR World Refugee Day Commemoration will be held at the Headquarters of the African Union Commission on 20 June 2008 with speeches from the Chairperson of the PRC Sub-Committee on Refugees, the Government of Ethiopia, UNHCR and the AU Commission, as well as testimonies by refugees, songs by refugee children and an “arts and craft market” selling products made by refugees. The “arts and craft market” is expected to open at the AU compound on from 18 to 20 June 2008.

Other commemorative activities will take place both in Addis Ababa and in the six camps across Ethiopia, which have a number of more than 80,000 refugees. They are:

• 20 June 2008: A commemoration will be held by the UNHCR in collaboration with the Alliance Ethio-Française, consisting of speeches, screening of a UNHCR documentary, a quiz show, prize-giving ceremony for winners of a writing competition, and an “arts and crafts market” of refugees’ products. The commemoration will take place at the premises of the Alliance Ethio-Française where the “arts and crafts market” shall remain open until Saturday 21 June.

• Shimelba refugee camp in Tigray, Sherkole refugee camp in Benishangul-Gumuz (BNG), Kebribeyah, Aw Barre and Sheder camps in the Somali region and Fugnido camp in Gambella will hold different activities involving refugees and the local communities. Most camps will commence their activities with sports competitions starting 10 June. Workshops, exhibitions and literary & cultural shows are other activities planned to mark the Day.

• Media activities will involve a visit to Sherkole camp, an interview with Meet ETV, screening of a UNHCR documentary on ETV, airing of the UNHCR High Commissioner’s World Refugee Day message on ETV, and full coverage of the commemoration. A group of journalists from national and international media agencies visited Sherkole refugee camp from 8 to 10 June 2008 and are expected to produce a series of stories based on their observations and interviews they had with refugees. Sherkole is a camp of some 5,000, mostly Sudanese refugees.

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