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World Refugee Day 2004: A Place to Call Home
Written by
Bonnie Gillespie
, Staff Writer and Photographer, Redcross.org
Tuesday, June 15, 2004 — “Home” signifies family, love and security in the minds of people everywhere, yet for more than 20 million men, women and children living as refugees around the world, home is nothing more than a distant dream or a fleeting memory.
These Somalian refugees are part of the largest single resettlement program ever attempted from Africa, as 12,000 refugees are beginning new lives in the United States.
Image Courtesy of the UNHCR |
Each year on June 20th, the international humanitarian community recognizes the plight and perseverance of displaced people on World Refugee Day. This year’s theme, “A Place to Call Home: Rebuilding Lives in Safety and Dignity,” draws attention to the challenges and hopes that accompany refuges in their search for a new home.
“Most of the time, refugees have not chosen to leave their country,” said Beth Crean, Senior Outreach Associate with the American Red Cross International Services Tracing and Outreach Center. “Refugees are forced out by war or persecution and usually face death if they stay. This makes them an extremely vulnerable population.”
Even in the world’s most tumultuous regions, the American Red Cross extends humanitarian assistance to refugees forced to flee their home countries, with many even arriving on U.S. soil seeking asylum and better, safer lives for themselves and their families.
Countless American Red Cross chapters are committed to making a difference in the lives of refugees, both young and old, and provide myriad services to international residents in their communities.
“We have numerous Red Cross chapters with very successful resettlement programs and classes for things such as first aid and childcare,” said Crean. “Since refugees in the United States often live in vulnerable communities with higher instances of house fires and other disasters, these people have a distinct need for Red Cross services and have a need to understand them. We help them grasp the importance of things like calling 9-1-1 in an emergency.”
Some Red Cross chapters have also reached out to refugees by offering English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, computer and job readiness training and a variety of cultural adaptation activities. Along with officially designated resettlement agencies, faith based organizations, consulates and educational institutions, Red Cross volunteers and staff collaborate in a multi-organizational effort to offer support, skills and knowledge to refugees.
Millions of refugees struggle to survive in itinerant camps like this one.
Image Courtesy of the IFRC |
In conjunction with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and national Red Cross or Red Crescent Societies around the world, American Red Cross chapters also provide tracing services to refugees which help reunite families separated by conflict and disaster.
“Tracing and Red Cross messaging are very high in areas with large refugee populations, such as Minneapolis, Philadelphia, New York and Washington, D.C.,” said Crean. “Restoring communication between family members is a poignant service that speaks to the heart, because most of us can’t imagine what it’s like to be totally cut off from loved ones.”
More than 2.4 million refugees have arrived in the U.S. in the last three decades, with more than one million finding sanctuary in North America right now. Yet since 1950, approximately 35 million former refugees worldwide have returned to their homes to rebuild their lives in their native countries. Thousands more, like Albert Einstein and Madeline Albright, have put down roots and achieved great success in the countries in which they sought refuge.
In commemoration of World Refugee Day 2004, the American Red Cross International Services Department hosted a special panel presentation at National Headquarters in Washington, D.C. on June 15. The event included a personal resettlement story from Nee Allison, a refugee from war-torn Liberia, along with accounts from Red Cross staff members who are involved extensively with refugees and resettlement issues.
As Allison vividly described her experience as a refugee and the challenges she faced and later overcame to become successful in the U.S., she served as a reminder of the millions of refugees who have not been so fortunate and who are still searching for “a place to call home.”
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