Media contact: Keith Paul
Regional Communications Director
keith.paul@redcross.org | 702-400-7680
SALT LAKE CITY (June 20, 2023) — This World Refugee Day, the American Red Cross of Utah wants to bring attention to the plight of refugees and the vital support needed when people are forced to flee their home countries. One such refugee, Diane Bahati, is a local college student and Red Cross Board Member who vividly recounts her own journey as a survivor of violence in her home country, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). She was a small child when her family was forced to flee, but still remembers the support the Red Cross provided during her time in refugee camps.
“In 2002, amidst the chaos of volcanic eruptions and the ravages of civil war, my family of nine fled the DRC,” said Diane, a 20-year-old University of Utah junior who is also a board member for the Utah Greater Salt Lake Chapter of the Red Cross.
During their struggle, the Red Cross, alongside the United Nations and other relief organizations, provided invaluable assistance to Bahati's family. “In the refugee camps, we were provided with essential first aid kits and hygiene products. In bold red letters on those kits were the words: ‘American Red Cross.’ Little did I know that 17 years later, I would proudly become a board member of the Red Cross myself,” she said.
With an alarming surge in global displacement due to ongoing conflicts, violence, and human rights violations, the number of individuals forced to flee their homes has reached an unprecedented milestone of more than 108 million. Of these refugees, almost half are children under the age of 18.
While World Refugee Day serves as a global reminder of the challenges faced by displaced individuals, Heidi Ruster, Chief Executive Officer of the American Red Cross Utah/Nevada Region, emphasizes the organization's unwavering commitment to providing year-round assistance. Heidi Ruster, Chief Executive Officer of the American Red Cross Utah/Nevada Region explained, “Every day, the American Red Cross – as part of our International Family Tracing program – transmits messages from all over the world to help families reconnect with loved ones.”
This year, the Red Cross and Red Crescent network has facilitated the exchange of thousands of messages between families separated by disaster and conflict around the world, according to Ruster. “Armed conflicts and disasters leave millions of people in urgent need of humanitarian assistance every year,” she said.
Diane and her family persevered, aided by the very Red Cross programs the 20-year-old college student now supports. “I want to help ensure that every child who has left their country is guaranteed safety, education and a better future,” she said. “And I plan to go to law school in hopes of becoming a change agent for peace in the world.”
About World Refugee Day
The United Nations General Assembly held the first World Refugee Day on June 20, 2001, to mark the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Geneva Convention relating to the Status of Refugees. The annual event celebrates the dignity of those who have been forced to leave their homes and is a global reminder of the challenges displaced individuals face. It also pays tribute to the efforts of all humanitarian workers in the field aiding refugees and providing hope.
About the American Red Cross
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members, and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.