Life as a Refugee is No Picnic

UNHCR Ireland took part at this year’s Electric Picnic music festival, on the weekend of September 3rd 2010.

UNHCR participated with the aim of increasing awareness and understanding of asylum and refugee issues, and of the work of UNHCR in Ireland and internationally. The theme for UNHCR’s presence at Electric Picnic was ‘Life as a Refugee is No Picnic’.

This theme comprised of two main elements, the first of which saw the twinning of the four festival campsites with refugee camps in various countries around the world, comparing the populations, average duration of stay and average diet in each. Large twinning posters were placed at the entrance of each campsite.

The second aspect was the UNHCR information tent or ‘field office’. Here we had a variety of information formats including posters, leaflets and videos, as well as a number of interactive activities for adults and children. In addition we began a video project for next year’s 60th anniversary of the United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees. The project, entitled “60 Years, One Question”, recorded people answering a simple question about what the word ‘refugee’ means to them.

The event gave UNHCR a tremendous opportunity to engage with the public and promote a greater and clearer awareness of the issues facing refugees and asylum seekers, as well as of the work of the organisation.

To those that visited us at Electric Picnic this year, thank you very much for your interest and participation. Many thanks must also go to our fantastic group of volunteers, including three from our friends at the Irish Refugee Council, without whom the whole weekend could not have been possible!

For more information about the work of UNHCR Ireland, please explore our website. Photos of UNHCR Ireland at Electric Picnic 2010 and much more can be found on our Facebook profile here.