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World Refugee Day
Every day, hundreds of people around the world have to leave their homes and look for a new, safe place to live. About half of these people are children. World Refugee Day, on 20 June every year, is a day to support refugees, learn about and understand the problems they have, and celebrate their strength and courage.
What is a refugee?
A refugee is someone who has to leave their home country because they aren't safe there. This may be because war and violence are happening. It could also be that they are treated unfairly and cruelly because of their race, religion or political beliefs. Some people have to leave their homes because of climate change and natural disasters like droughts or floods.
How do refugees travel from their homes to a safer country?
When refugees leave their homes, they often have to go on very long and dangerous journeys. Some walk for many days, others travel by lorry, car or boat, and many don't have enough food or water for the journey. Sadly, a lot of refugees don't reach their final destination.
What happens when refugees reach a safe country?
When refugees arrive in a safe country, they can ask for permission to stay in the new country. People who are waiting to get permission to stay are called 'asylum seekers'. A lot of people have to live in refugee camps while they are waiting. A camp is often like a giant city of tents, with thousands of people living in it. People can get food, clothes and medical help, and some camps even have schools. But many camps are too full, and conditions for refugees can be very bad.
What happens on World Refugee Day?
The United Nations started World Refugee Day in 2001. Lots of events take place all around the world to celebrate this special day. Some cities light up their landmarks in blue to show their support for refugees. Others have concerts, art exhibitions or food festivals. In many places, there are charity walks, runs, swims and bike rides to raise money for refugees. Walking or running a long way helps us understand how far some refugees have to travel.
Many children learn about the refugee crisis at school and do special projects, for example finding out about someone famous who is or was a refugee. There are lots of different ways to get involved in World Refugee Day! What will you do?
Discussion
What did you learn about World Refugee Day from the article? Tell us about it!
Hi to British council team,
The refugees don’t arrive in a new country safely, many problem during the journey happens when refugees arrive a new country, they’ve a lot of problems.