Christmas Message for Refugees by Dr. Gerrit Jan van Heuven Goedhart, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, 22 December 1954

Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Dr. G. J. van Heuven Goedhart, has sent the following Christmas message to the approximately 80,000 refugees within his mandate who are still living in the 200 refugee camps in Europe:

"Last Christmas I sent message to you all saying that you were not being forgotten. During the year that has passed, I hope you have seen proof that these were not empty words. We cannot be satisfied with what has been accomplished as long as so many of you have still to find shelter in a camp. We must continue to look forward and work together to hasten the day when you can leave the camp for a real home of your own.

"Today this may still seem a mere dream to you. Having said goodbye to so many of your camp neighbours, you may be wondering whether your turn will ever come. But there is no reason why you should despair. True, your opportunity may perhaps not be overseas but in the country where you are living now.

"The United Nations General Assembly this year agreed on a programme which is to help you in your efforts to establish yourselves.

"We shall begin this programme in the coming year. Our efforts will have the support of the peoples of the United Nations, the Government of the country where you are living, and of the voluntary agencies. We hope through our plans to help you in your own efforts to become established. We shall start vocational training programmes, housing schemes, placement schemes in agriculture and industry, and continue with our efforts to find homes for the old and the ill. In addition, the people of several countries are bringing money together to help you.

"It is, therefore, with a lighter heart than last year that I am sending you my best wishes for Christmas and the New Year. May the time soon come when you will be sitting round a fire in a room you can truly call your home. And let us in 1955 work hard together to achieve that goal."

"May the time soon come when you will be sitting round a fire in a room you can truly call your home."

In his message the High Commissioner refers to the emigration and integration programme which was approved by the General Assembly on 21 October 1954 and which will be financed from the new United Nations Refugee Fund (UNREF). A governmental target of $12,000,000 for the four year period 1955-1958 (the term of the High Commissioner's current mandate) has been set for the Programme, and Governments of States Members and non-Members of the United Nations which are interested in the refugee problem will be asked to contribute. Voluntary contributions from private sources can provide valuable support by increasing the tempo of the work. In addition, UNREF will continue to give emergency assistance to those refugees in the greatest need and in particular to find places in institutions and Old People's Homes for the "difficult cases". An annual target of $1,000,000 has been set for this emergency aid.

Copies of the High Commissioner's Christmas message printed in the local language will be displayed in all refugee camps in Austria, Germany, Greece, Italy and Trieste.