World Refugee Day 2019

World Refugee Day 2019 is June 20th!  This international observance honors the courage, strength and determination of women, men and children who are forced to flee their homeland under threat of persecution, conflict and violence. Commemorate this day by pledging, sharing, and learning.  The 2019 Theme is #StepWithRefugees

The Mortenson Center for International Library Programs and the American Library Association (ALA) invite libraries to commemorate World Refugee Day 2019. See the ideas below (and more resources at http://www.ala.org/aboutala/world-refugee-day). As partners on the IMLS-funded planning grant: Project Welcome: Libraries and Community Anchors Planning for Resettlement and Integration of Refugees and Asylum Seekers, we invite you to join us at the 2019 ALA Conference in Washington, DC to learn what we and other librarians are doing to support refugees (see below).

Pledge #WithRefugees

Participate in UNHCR’s #stepwithrefugees global challenge  http://www.unhcr.org/refugeeday/us/.

Share #WithRefugees

The World Refugee US Toolkit from 2017 provides you with ideas of images, videos and text to share on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Use #WithRefugees, #WorldRefugeeDay and Project Welcome hashtags:  #projectwelcome, #librariesrespond, #libraries4refugees

A message to the world’s refugees from UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi on World Refugee Day 2019

Live Blog: World Refugee Day events span the globe as displacement hits record | live blog @ USA site

Learn #WithRefugees

ARE YOU ATTENDING the ALA Annual Conference 2019 in Washington, DC, June 20-25? Please search “refugees ” on the scheduler and attend the many sessions focused on libraries serving refugees, including:

What else can you do #WithRefugees?

  • Read a book or watch a film to learn and better understand the experience of a refugee. Visit your local branch library to check out our books with inspiring and compelling stories about “real people with real needs.”
  • Wear light blue, the international color of UN aid workers, on the day of the event and let others know why you are wearing this color.
  • Join the Justice for Immigrants Campaign so that you can learn about further advocacy related activities in which you can participate.
  • Hold an information session or speaker panel with a refugee or immigrant member of your community or parish.
  • Host a potluck or dinner with newcomers in your community to try new foods and encounter and learn about new cultures.

Find a World Refugee Event near you: http://www.unhcr.org/refugeeday/us/events/ AND http://www.unhcr.org/withrefugees/world-refugee-day/