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World Refugee Day is celebrated every year on June 20. This day is designed to draw public attention to the problems and challenges faced by refugees around the world. Every year, World Refugee Day is celebrated with various events, actions and campaigns around the world. World Refugee Day in Philadelphia was organized by Welcome US, a non-profit organization that coordinates support for refugees in the United States.
During the celebration of International Refugee Day in Philadelphia, which is the second celebration in the United States organized by Welcome US, the first was held last year in Chicago, representing Ukraine with their individual information booths were the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia and the Ukrainian Educational and Cultural Center. The event was opened by Jim Kenney, the 99th mayor of Philadelphia, speaking to the contribution of refugees and their families to the United States. It was a day of compassion, solidarity and recognition of the strength and resilience of those forced from their homes. The event was held at Love Park.
World Refugee Day shines a light on the rights, needs and dreams of refugees. It helps mobilize political will and resources so refugees can not only survive but also thrive. While it is important to protect and improve the lives of refugees every single day, international days like World Refugee Day help focus global attention on the plight of those fleeing conflict or persecution. Many activities held on World Refugee Day create opportunities to support refugees.
Since the beginning of the full-scale war, about 10,000 refugees from Ukraine have arrived in Philadelphia and the surrounding area, and more than 200,000 have arrived in the United States.