World Refugee Day is an international day designated by the United Nations to honour the world’s refugees. It is celebrated on 20th June every year and honours the strength and courage of people who have been forced to flee their countries to escape conflict or persecution. The year 2024 marks the 23rd anniversary of World Refugee Day.

What date is World Refugee Day 2024?

On June 20, 2024, the world comes together to celebrate World Refugee Day. Refugees often face the challenge of traveling safely. They often travel long distances on foot and face violence, exploitation and discrimination along the way. Once they reach in a safe country, they can still face challenges related to housing, employment and education.

The History of World Refugee Day

World Refugee Day was established by the United Nations General Assembly on December 4, 2000 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Convention on the Status of Refugees of 1951. In the words of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR, “World Refugee Day was first observed worldwide on 20th June 2001.”

What does World Refugee Day mean?

According to the UNHCR, approx. 108.4 million people have been forcibly relocated worldwide and over 52% of these are from Syrian Arab Republic- 6.8 million, Ukraine- 5.7 million and Afghanistan- 5.7 million. World Refugee Day is an opportunity to make people aware of the plight of refugees and show our support. Refugees have often faced tough challenges but they have shown great strength and determination in rebuilding their lives. World Refugee Day also requests the world to take action to address the root causes of people’s displacement. Most refugees who flee are victims of conflict, violence or persecution. We must work together to end these conflicts and create a more peaceful world where everyone can live safely and peacefully.