AA Gill
AA Gill
The latest World Refugee Day was held on 20 June 2023. Watch this page for more information and activities.
What is World Refugee Day?
World Refugee Day is an international day designated by the United Nations to honour refugees around the globe. It falls each year on 20 June and celebrates the strength and courage of people who have been forced to flee their home country to escape conflict or persecution.
AA Gill first supported UNHCR’s work for World Refugee Day in 2013 sharing the one item he would take with him if he was forced to flee his home:
I would take my prayer beads from Bhutan. I find them restful and they help me to think. From what I’ve seen of refugees, there’s quite a lot of sitting around. With not much to do, counting my blessings might help in that situation.
He remained a committed supporter of UNHCR campaigns, including speaking at The First Global Forum on Statelessness in the Hague, and travelled extensively with UNHCR to Jordan, Lebanon, Bangladesh, Mexico, DR Congo, Italy and across Europe.*
He wrote searing, powerfully moving pieces on each of his journeys, published in the Sunday Times Magazine. In 2014 he was rightfully honoured for his exceptional writing and was presented with the Women on the Move award. Accepting the award Adrian said: “In Congo I realised a truth I’ve known all my life. Whilst women are often victims, they are also often the catalyst for making things better.” The same year he received the Press Award for Best Feature Writer, and the Amnesty International Media Award for his series of articles on the forcibly displaced.
AA Gill was a fierce advocate for refugees and a much loved friend of UNHCR. His death in December 2016 robbed the world of a man of extraordinary wit and compassion. He was a true humanitarian. He will be much missed.
*articles re-produced with kind permission from The Sunday Times.
Why is World Refugee Day important?
World Refugee Day shines a light on the rights, needs and dreams of refugees, helping to mobilize political will and resources so refugees can not only survive but also thrive. While it is important to protect and improve the lives of refugees every single day, international days like World Refugee Day help to focus global attention on the plight of those fleeing conflict or persecution. Many activities held on World Refugee Day create opportunities to support refugees.
When is World Refugee Day and when did it start?
World Refugee Day falls each year on 20 June and is dedicated to refugees around the globe. World Refugee Day was held globally for the first time on 20 June 2001, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees. It was originally known as Africa Refugee Day, before the United Nations General Assembly officially designated it as an international day in December 2000.
