World Refugee Day 2026: 75 years on from the Refugee Convention, UNHCR says Protection and Solutions as vital as ever
World Refugee Day 2026: 75 years on from the Refugee Convention, UNHCR says Protection and Solutions as vital as ever
Australia - On World Refugee Day, 20 June 2026, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, commemorates the 75th anniversary of the Refuge Convention and recognizes Australia’s milestone of protecting and welcoming a million refugees since World War II.
Established in the aftermath of the Second World War, the 1951 Refugee Convention is the landmark international agreement that anyone forced to flee would have the right to seek safety and rebuild their lives.
UNHCR’s theme for the day this year is Until Everyone is Safe. Coming at a time when the right to seek asylum is under growing pressure in many parts of the world, it reminds people of the enduring relevance of the 1951 Refugee Convention and its simple, but powerful, universal principle: the right to seek safety extends to us all.
UNHCR Representative for Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and the Pacific, Soo-Jin Rhee, said that in 2026, when global displacement remains at near record highs, the Convention remains as vital as ever.
“Marking 75 years since the Refugee Convention, we are reminded of a defining global commitment, one that has protected millions and continues to serve as a vital life-saving tool today. With 41 million refugees currently displaced around the world, this anniversary is both a moment to reflect on how far we have come, and a call to renew our collective resolve to uphold the promise of safety for all who need it.”
Australia holds a special place in the history of the Convention. Australia was a founding signatory to the Convention whose ratification helped bring it into force. This was an act of foresight, leadership and solidarity that continues to resonate globally.
This World Refugee Day, UNHCR also commends the generosity of the Australian people, who have welcomed one million refugees and humanitarian entrants since the Second World War. This significant milestone has been recognized with a special commemorative postage stamp, “One Million Stories, One Shared Future”, developed in partnership with Australia Post and the Refugee Council of Australia.
The stamp will be officially launched by the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, at Government House in Canberra on Saturday, 20 June 2026.
“It is a credit to the Australian people that this country has delivered on the promise of safety and a shared future for over a million refugees,” Ms. Rhee said. This is a tradition that continues today, in the form of Australia’s ongoing humanitarian program of 20,000 places each year. We very much hope that this will continue, and indeed increase, in the years to come.”
With World Refugee Day also coinciding with the 2026 FIFA World Cup, UNHCR has highlighted the members of the Australian Socceroos with refugee backgrounds.
Mohamed Touré, Awer Mabil, and Nestory Irankunda are members of UNHCR’s symbolic team of global football players with a refugee or displacement background.
UNHCR’s Gamechanging Team brings eleven players together ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup as a symbolic team embodying hope, courage, resilience and the power of what is possible when people uprooted and displaced by war and persecution are met with safety, opportunity and welcome.
“And of course, not all contributions are visible on a public stage,” Ms. Rhee said. “Across Australia, every day, people from refugee backgrounds are contributing in classrooms, workplaces, businesses, and communities — enriching this country in ways both seen and unseen.”
“When refugees are given the chance to rebuild their lives, they give back many times over.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Ben Farrell
Canberra, Australia
Tel: +61 426 796 138