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World Refugee Day

by Adrienne Wilson on Jun 20th 2006 at 7:37PM

Today is World Refugee Day and it wouldn't feel right for me to blog without giving it a mention here on Gadling. June 20 was officially recognized as World Refugee Day back in 2000 when the United Nations General Assembly sought to celebrate the contribution of refugees worldwide. This year's theme is "Hope," where the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) hopes to draw the public's attention to the millions of refugees globally, forced to flee their homes.

There are two events scheduled this weekend worth checking out if in the Washington D.C. area if you're around. The first is an afternoon of exhibits, dance and musical performances by refugee artists and youth at the National Geographic Museum at Explorers Hall on Saturday, June 24, 2006 from 12 pm to 4 pm. Additional details can be found by clicking here and personally if I were anywhere around this venue I would seriously make it top priority this weekend.

Can't make it, but still interested in World Refugee Day? Head to Slate where you can find a collection of Magnum Photos showcasing refugees from all over. The shot above is from a refugee camp in Kurkushetra, India from 1947 taken by Henri Cartier-Bresson.

Filed under: Activism, Arts and Culture, History, Learning, Festivals and Events, Photos, Stories, Africa, Asia, Europe

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Willy Jun 21st 2006 12:43PM

I interned with the State Department in Malawi in 2004. During the 10 weeks I spent there, I got the chance to visit Dzaleka. Originally a prison camp (the name literally, and frighteningly, translates as "You will stop!"), it now serves as a refugee camp for dispaced people from throughout central Africa. When I was there, the State Department was officially unveiling a clinic that USAID funds had paid for.

I was stuck by the appalling living conditions many of the refugees faced: some lived in mere lean-tos, and the refugees were required to build their own homes and bathing/bathroom facilities. (To do this, many scavenged for bits of junk to use as walls, windows, ceilings, etc.)

However, I was also impressed with the creativity they demonstrated. They had built an impromptu market, set up barber shops, and sent their kids to school. Unfortunately, while self-development is encouraged, there was a sense of permanence about the place. It was a refugee camp, after all, but no one seemed like they were planning to move any time soon. They lived there, had businesses there. Some even had cell phones! It was a difficult day, and I was filled with ambivalence, but I'm thrilled to have experienced Dzaleka.

If you want to learn more about Dzaleka, Darkstar has an excellent narrative about his visit:
http://www.travelpod.com/cgi-bin/guest.pl?tweb_tripID=africa_05&tweb_UID=darkstar&tweb_entryID=1130059380&tweb_guest_password=&tweb_PID=tpod

along with some representative photos:
http://www.travelpod.com/cgi-bin/view_all_images.pl?tweb_UID=darkstar&tweb_tripID=africa_05&tweb_entryID=1130059380&tweb_guest_password=&tweb_PID=tpod&POPUP=YES