The 7th Refugee Film Festival Opening Ceremony Global forced displacement tops 50 million for first time since World War II - UNHCR Report

Head of Sub-Office UNHCR Hong Kong and Macao SAR China Mr. Philip Karani said, “The Opening Ceremony commences the 7th Refugee Film Festival tonight. UNHCR’s annual World Refugee Day campaign will center around the theme of ‘Millions of families dream of going home,’ recognizing that refugees and displaced persons, like any one of us, simply want a home they can peacefully return to at the end of the day.”

A report released by UNHCR, the Gobal Trends, shows that the number of refugees, asylum-seekers, and internally displaced people worldwide has, for the first time in the post-World War II era, exceeded 50 million people. 51.2 million people were recorded to have been forcibly displaced at the end of 2013, which is 6 million more than the year before. The report is based on data compiled by governments, non-governmental partner organizations, and from UNHCR’s own records.

Displacement data in the Global Trends report covers three groups – refugees, asylum-seekers, and the internally displaced. Among these, refugee numbers amounted to 16.7 million people worldwide, 1.1 million people submitting applications for asylum and a record 33.3 million people internally displaced. Internal displacement accounts for the largest increase of any group in the Global Trends report.

For UNHCR and other humanitarian actors, helping the Internally Displaced represents a special challenge as many are in conflict zones, where getting to aid to them is difficult and where they lack the international protection norms afforded to refugees. UNHCR thanks our sponsors and supporting organizations for their generous support to the huge need of humanitarian aid. UNHCR presented them with souvenirs for their dedication and commitment to helping refugees and displaced people rebuild their lives.

Following the ceremony was the screening of The Suffering Grasses and a sharing session titled, “The Way out of Syria,” by Dr. Simon Shen, professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Six movies will be screened at Broadway Cinematheque from 20 to 25 June 2014.

All revenue from ticket sales will be donated to UNHCR to continue the agency’s work on protecting refugees around the world, including the current crises in Syria, Iraq, the Central African Republic and South Sudan.

Guests of Honor at Opening Ceremony:

Mr. Stephen Gan, Executive Director of Pak Fah Yeow International Ltd

Ms. Silvia Chan, Executive Director of Karrie International Holdings Limited

Mr. Jacky Lam, General Manager of Leo Paper Group (HK) Ltd

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