World Refugee Day 2022 – Theme, History, Facts, Significance, Activities

World Refugee Day is celebrated every year on June 20. As part of the celebration this year, the right to seek safety will be highlighted. Whether you are an individual, where you are from, or wherever you are forced to flee, everyone has the right to seek safety on this planet.

World Refugee Day 2022

The United Nations celebrates World Refugee Day each year to honor refugees around the world. On June 20, it honors people who have fled their home countries in pursuit of conflict or persecution and celebrates their courage and strength. To recognize the resilience of refugees and build empathy for their plight, International Refugee Day is celebrated.

Whoever you are. Wherever you are. Whenever you want. It is everyone’s right to seek safety.

Whoever you are: It is essential to treat people forced to flee with dignity, no matter who they are. Protection is available to anyone, regardless of their background or beliefs. Safety is a human right that cannot be negotiated.

Wherever you are: Regardless of where they came from, people forced to flee should be welcomed. A large number of refugees come from around the world. Planes, boats, or foot flights may be used to escape danger. As far as seeking safety is concerned, the right remains universal.

Whenever you want: People should be protected whenever they are forced to flee. Everyone deserves protection, no matter what the threat may be – war, violence, or persecution. Having a safe environment is the right of everyone.

World Refugee Day Theme 2022

According to the UNHCR, this World Refugee Day 2022 theme is ‘Right to Seek Safety.’ During the event, refugees will be able to educate and spread awareness about their rights. 

What does seeking safety mean?

1. Right to seek asylum: Any person fleeing persecution, conflict, or human rights abuse has the right to seek protection in another country.

2. Safe access: Everyone forced to flee should have access to the country’s borders. The journey to safety can become more dangerous when access is restricted and borders are closed.

3. No pushback: It’s not possible to force people to return to a country if their lives or freedom would be at risk. A country should not push anyone back without first evaluating the dangers they would face in their own country.

4. No discrimination: At borders, there should be no discrimination against people. Any refugee application must be considered fairly, regardless of race, religion, gender, or country of origin.

5. Humane treatment: It is important to treat people forced to flee with respect and dignity. In the same way as any human being, they have the right to be treated properly and in a humane manner. Families must be kept together, traffickers must be protected, and arbitrary detention must be avoided.

What is the significance of World Refugee Day?

The purpose of World Refugee Day is to raise awareness of the rights, needs, and dreams of refugees and mobilize political will and resources so that refugees can thrive as well. International Refugee Day helps to focus global attention on the plight of refugees fleeing conflict or persecution even though it is imperative to protect and improve their lives every day. persecution. Refugees can be supported through many activities observed on Refugee Day.

What is the history of World Refugee Day?

On June 20, World Refugee Day honors refugees around the world. To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention, World Refugee Day was held globally for the first time on June 20, 2001. Prior to its official designation as an international day in December 2000, it was known as Africa Refugee Day.

Refugee Definition

The 1951 Refugee Convention defines a refugee as someone who flees his or her country due to a well-founded fear of persecution due to race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political beliefs. There are many refugees who are in exile as a result of natural disasters or human-made catastrophes.

Asylum Seeker Definition

In the country where refugees fled, asylum seekers claim to be refugees and have fled their homes, but their claim to refugee status has not yet been determined.

Internally Displaced Person Definition

An Internally Displaced Person (IDP) is someone who is displaced within their own country without crossing an international border.

Stateless Person Definition

The term “stateless person” refers to people who do not belong to any particular country nor have a recognized nationality.

In most cases, statelessness is caused by discrimination against a particular group of people. Health care, education, and employment may be unavailable to these individuals without a citizenship certificate.

1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol

There is no doubt that refugees are among the most vulnerable people in the world. Their protection is provided by the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol. A refugee’s life is explicitly covered by the only global legal instruments. Refugees are entitled to, at minimum, the same treatment on a given basis as other foreign nationals and, in many cases, the same treatment as national citizens.

As part of the 1951 Convention, refugees have a number of rights, as well as obligations to their host countries. It is the non-refoulement principle that underpins the 1951 Convention. This principle prohibits the return of refugees to a country where their lives and freedom are seriously threatened. Refugees who are reasonably viewed as threats to the country’s security or who have been convicted of a particularly serious crime are not eligible for this protection.

World Refugee Day Activities

Many countries around the globe celebrate World Refugee Day by holding events in support of refugees. There are a number of people who participate in these activities, including refugees themselves, government officials, host communities, corporations, celebrities, schoolchildren, and the general public. 

World Refugee Day FAQs