World Refugee Day

 

Celebrate World Refugee Day and welcome the newest Texans to this community.

Time: Saturday, June 18, 2011, Noon – 3:00 PM
Location: The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum
Cost: FREE, open to the public, and offers variety of activities for the whole family.

Join Interfaith Action of Central Texas, The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum, Catering By Rosemary, Heart of Texas Peace Corps Association, Multicultural Refugee Coalition, The Refugee Health Screening Clinic, Refugee Services of Texas, Center for Survivors of Torture and the United Nations Association, USA, Austin Chapter, as we honor the unique journeys of refugees living in Austin, welcome them to our community and celebrate the richness and  diversity that they bring.

Austin’s festivities are in observance of the United Nations World Refugee Day commemorated annually on June 20.  Don’t miss music, food provided by Catering by Rosemary, and an assortment of different activities to enjoy—an international fashion show, crafts, face-painting and more!

Experience different cultures as representatives from the different refugee communities will share special music and dancing from their countries. The events commences with a naturalization ceremony which will swear in new citizens who had come to Central Texas as refugees.

Currently, there are 43 million uprooted people in the world under the protection of UNHCR
(United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees), among those are 10.4 million refugees and asylum seekers.

Less than 1% will be fortunate enough to be resettled in another country that has a formal refugee resettlement program.

For this year alone, the U.S. is planning to accept and resettle a total of 80,000 refugees.