Media Release

17 June 2009

World Refugee Day - June 20 – “Real People, Real Needs”

On Saturday June 20, there will be a number of events around the country to highlight World Refugee Day and to honour the courage and resilience of people from a refugee background.

Refugee Services and Dev-Zone will host a free screening of the documentary film “Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars” at the New Zealand Film Archive on World Refugee Day, Saturday 20 June at 5pm. Adam Awad, Executive Chair of Changemakers Refugee Forum will be one of the guest speakers.

The award winning film, by Zach Niles and Banker White, tells the remarkable and life-affirming story of Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars, a group of musicians who form a band while living in a West African refugee camp. Through music they find a place of refuge, a sense of purpose and a source of power. The story of Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars celebrates the best of the human spirit – the incredible ability of individuals to sustain hope and find forgiveness even in a climate of rage and loss. www.refugeeallstars.org

Refugee Services and Children on the Edge will host Kids4Kids at the Wellington Town Hall, 10am to 3pm on World Refugee Day for children 5-12 years of age. An entertaining fun filled event for children to celebrate cultural diversity through music, arts and crafts and food. Activities include African drumming workshop, Hip Hop workshop, International Arts, Crafts and Language and fun with Mr Fungus, NZ’s loudest Mime. Ethnic lunch and adult supervision provided. $25  - all proceeds go towards supporting the work of Refugee Services and Children on the Edge. www.childrenontheedge.co.nz  www.refugeeservices.org.nz

In Lower Hutt a Celebration of Everyday People – Crossroads Community Church – Cnr Kings Crescent and Cornwall Street - Saturday 20 June 12.30 -3pm

12.30 – 2pm – Cooking demonstrations from different ethnic communities

1pm – 2pm   - Chin State (Burma/Myanmar) Dance Workshop

2pm  - 3pm  - Drum workshop with Sam Manzanza

The Palmerston North refugee focus group with assistance from Refugee Services Palmerston North City Council present Festival of Cultures at the Convention Centre, a free public event on Saturday 20 June, 1pm to 3.30pm; stories, song and dance from Rwanda, Burma, Bhutan, Algeria, Congo, Cambodia and Somalia.

Every year on June 20 the world honours the courage, resilience and strength of refugees. Global attention is focused not only on the plight of refugees and causes of their exile but also on their determination and contribution they make to their host communities.

The global theme for World Refugee Day 2009, “Real People, Real Needs”, highlights the central idea of international refugee protection - that those people who flee their homes because of persecution and conflict need sanctuary and protection from danger.

Because of New Zealand’s response to the refugee crisis in the world, we can offer protection and a safe haven where refugees can recover and rebuild their hopes for a better future. These are real needs for real people…just like you and I.

Refugee Services is New Zealand’s leading refugee resettlement non government agency. Our many volunteers and staff, including Cross Cultural Workers and Social Workers, assist the 750 quota refugees who arrive here each year (over six intakes) to resettle in their new communities.

UNHCR’s (The UN Refugee Agency) 2008 Global Trends Report found that at the end of 2008 there were 42 million people forcibly uprooted by conflict and persecution worldwide, including 16 million refugees (10.5 million in the care of UNHCR and 4.7 million under UNWRA’s care in Palestine) and asylum-seekers and 26 million internally displaced people.

“On 20 June – World Refugee Day – UNHCR is encouraging people to look at the stories behind the figures and to see real people with real needs, aspirations and contributions to make” Regional Representative Richard Towle said.

UNHCR urges people all around Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific to join in events being held in the region to mark this special day for refugees in our communities and to express support and solidarity for those millions of refugees living in difficult circumstances in other parts of the world.”

ENDS

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