Live Blog: 2024 Asia-Pacific World Refugee Day Events
Live Blog: 2024 Asia-Pacific World Refugee Day Events
Welcome to the World Refugee Day 2024 live blog, highlighting stories and events from Asia-Pacific celebrating the strength and courage of people forced to flee their homes.
Every World Refugee Day, 20 June, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, joins millions of others around the world in honoring those who have fled conflict, violence and persecution in search of safety.
The focus for this year is “solidarity with refugees”, whether through welcoming and including them in our communities, advocating for policies that protect and support them, or working towards solutions to their plight.
Coming the week after new data revealed the number of forcibly displaced people worldwide has risen to an unprecedented 120 million, World Refugee Day offers a chance to show our support for those whose lives have been uprooted by conflict and persecution.
We hope these examples of global solidarity will inspire you to get involved and stand #WithRefugees and others #ForcedToFlee.
Check back here throughout the day for updates on what we're doing in the region.
Pakistan
Reflecting the global 2024 theme, “solidarity with and solutions for refugees” an event was held in Islamabad to pay tribute to refugees and express appreciation for the enduring generosity of the communities hosting them. The World Refugee Day event featured theatre and song performances, and an exhibition featuring refugee artworks and handicrafts.
Another event was held in Peshawar, which provided a platform for refugees in Pakistan to show off their talents in arts and crafts, music and literature.
India
India celebrated World Refugee Day with energetic and vibrant dance performances, musical numbers, and artwork in their "Art of Peace" cultural showcase in New Delhi. There were traditional dance performances from refugee youth groups, an art exhibition from art contest for refugees and asylum seekers, and stalls of refugee and asylum seeker-made products under UNHCR's livelihoods programme.
Bangladesh
Heavy monsoon rains brought devastating floods and landslides to the world’s largest refugee camp in southern Bangladesh earlier this week, affecting thousands of Rohingya refugees and claiming several lives. The disaster added a sombre tone to World Refugee Day commemorations and highlighted the continued need for solidarity and support #WithRefugees.
Nepal
UNHCR Nepal launched a photobook titled "Bridges of Compassion: A Photographic Odyssey of Refugees in Nepal" amidst a special event in Kathmandu on 20 June 2024. UNHCR Nepal Representative Ms. Carolin Spannuth Verma and National Human Rights Commission Acting Chairperson Hon. Dr. Surya Prasad Sharma Dhungel jointly unveiled the UNHCR Nepal photobook that showcases UNHCR's work in collaboration with the Government of Nepal over the past three decades. During the program, UNHCR Nepal also unveiled its 2024 livelihoods video, highlighting the impact of UNHCR Nepal's livelihood interventions on refugees' lives and well-being. The event also featured nine stalls managed by refugees showcasing a range of products, from food items to handicrafts, produced by refugees in Nepal.
Republic of Korea
To highlight the importance of welcoming refugees as well as their resilience, UNHCR Korea organized the "Faces of our Neighbours" photo exhibition at COEX Mall, showcasing portraits of refugees from Ukraine.
UNHCR Korea's newly-produced documentary "Youth" will also be screened at the 9th Korea Refugee Film Festival in partnership with Korea Refugee Rights Network (KORRiN). The documentary features the stories of youth from various backgrounds, including a refugee from Bangladesh, and their life in South Korea
Fiji
UNHCR and Fiji's Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration held the first-ever World Refugee Day event in the country, celebrating refugees and the protection mechanisms that have been implemented by government and non-governmental organizations.
Japan
Events marking World Refugee Day are taking place all over Japan including a book exhibition in Tokyo under the theme of "Stories of Refugees"; the lighting of over 50 landmarks across the country in UNHCR blue; the flying of World Refugee Day carp streamers (designed by Zarny Shibuya, a former refugee from Myanmar) in seven locations around Japan to wish happiness for refugee children, and much more.
China
UNHCR China hosted a donor gathering event #ShareBlueforLove under the theme of ‘Solidarity’. Around 80 individual donors and 30 corporate and foundation partners participated in the event as well as a celebratory gathering outdoors with music and performances. UNHCR China Goodwill Ambassador Yang Yang hosted an interactive Q&A session with all participants on the global trends
Afghanistan
Events to mark World Refugee Day have been taking place across Afghanistan, including a cricket tournament in Kunduz, an arts and crafts bazar in Kabul and this exhibition of handicrafts by internally displaced and formerly displaced women in Mazar-i-Sharif.
The Philippines
Following the issuance of a presidential proclamation declaring every 20 June as National Refugee Day in the Philippines, 2024 is the first time that the government led activities to honour the resilience of people forced to flee persecution and violence and stateless persons.
Thailand
UNHCR Thailand commemorated World Refugee Day with the 13th Refugee Film Festival at Siam Paragon, Bangkok. The long-running festival seeks to raise awareness for refugees in both Thailand and across the globe. Furthermore, Siam Paragon's facade lit up in blue on June 6th and 20th.
