President Joseph Boakai has by proclamation declared Thursday, June 20, 2024 as World Refugee Day to be observed throughout as a working holiday.
According to a Foreign Ministry release, this year’s celebration of World Refugee Day will serve as a platform to raise awareness and promote solidarity with refugees through social media and radio programs that will enable the UNHCR to disseminate information on the different durable solutions, notably voluntary repatriation and local integration.
The Proclamation stated that the official ceremony of World Refugee Day 2024 will be celebrated in Monrovia and all refugee-concentrated counties across the country under the theme: “Solidarity with Refugees for A World Where Refugees are Welcomed.”
The Presidential Proclamation calls on all citizens and foreign residents, national and international youth organizations and all Government agencies concerned to join the Liberia Refugee Repatriation Resettlement Commission (LRRRC) in executing appropriate programs in honor of the Day.
A Foreign Ministry release states that as a founding member of the United Nations, and in compliance to the 1951 Geneva Convention relating to the status of refugee, the Government of Liberia has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees.
The Proclamation, the World Refugee Day is particularly commemorated to acknowledge the difficulties faced by refugees forced to cross international borders as well as those who remain within their countries as internally displaced persons.
With the variety of programs, more than 100 countries host events with the collaborations of governments, humanitarian aid workers, celebrity, collaborators, and civilians as well as with IDPs and refugees.
The Proclamation furthers that the United Nations General Assembly adopted Regulation 55/76, declaring June 20 of each year as World Refugee Day to be celebrated by Member States in recognition of the courage and resilience of more than 50 million persons around the world who have been forced to flee their homes due to conflicts or human rights abuses.
