We are calling on all anti-racist organisations, civil society groups, NGOs, political parties, religious groups, migrant and refugee support organisations to join our gathering on World Refugee Day 20 June to
• recognize the resilience of forcibly displaced people throughout the world
• pay homage to the victims of migrant boat tragedies in the Mediterranean
• show our solidarity with the refugees everywhere
• And to demand further and meaningful actions by the EU states to do whatever is necessary to rescue migrants and provide safety and humanitarian care.
All banners and placards welcome…
Date: 20 June 2015
Time: 17:00
Location: The Famine Memorial and The World Poverty Stone, Custom House Quay
World Refugee Day is held every year on June 20. It is a special day when the world takes time to recognize the resilience of forcibly displaced people throughout the world.
The UN General Assembly, on 4 December 2000, adopted resolution 55/76 where it noted that 2001 marked the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, and that the Organization of African Unity (OAU) had agreed to have International Refugee Day coincide with Africa Refugee Day on 20 June.
The UN General Assembly, on 4 December 2000, adopted resolution 55/76 where it noted that 2001 marked the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, and that the Organization of African Unity (OAU) had agreed to have International Refugee Day coincide with Africa Refugee Day on 20 June.
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Not all refugees are lucky enough to reach safety. In 2015, one migrant dies every two hours in the Mediterranean Sea. Since January, more than 2.000 men, women and children died crossing the Mediterranean Sea trying to reach Europe.
Before the big tragedies in April, the European states had cancelled the search and rescue operation Mare Nostrum. It took the death of more than 2000 people before some action was taken to re-start the rescue missions.
According to UN, every minute eight people leave everything behind to escape war, persecution or terror.
An estimated 43.3 million people worldwide were forcibly displaced due to conflict and persecution.
Among refugees and people in refugee-like situations, children constituted 46 per cent of the population.
Imagine yourself in Syria, Libya, Iraq or Gaza. Don’t go too far, go back in time and imagine yourself in Bosnia. What would you do if you had no chance left to survive and if your children died in front of your eyes? What border, what law, what visa and immigration controls would matter to you? Like everyone else you and your loved ones have one shot, one chance to live on this earth.
What would you do if that chance was to be taken away from you?
So far, 2015 has been a dark year for world’s refugees. To remember only a few of the
• Record numbers of migrants have died in the Mediterranean due to cancellation of Mare Nostrum search and rescue operation. As the EU states still argue among themselves about quotas and means of stopping the migrants from crossing the sea, the conditions that force thousands of people to take dangerous journeys are only getting worse…
• There are now 12 million displaced Syrians. 4 million are externally displaced refugees in neighbouring countries, living in very difficult conditions.
• In Yemen the ongoing conflict has put millions of civilian in danger.
• Malaysia and Thailand turned away hundreds of migrant boats carrying more than 8,000 Rohingya Muslims and Bangladeshis. Boats were stranded at sea for weeks as before some limited actions were taken to help them.
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Throughout the Famine years, nearly a million Irish arrived in the United States. Famine immigrants were the first big wave of poor refugees ever to arrive in the U.S. Upon arrival in America, the Irish found the going to be quite tough. With no one to help them, they immediately settled into the lowest rung of society and waged a daily battle for survival.
The term ‘coffin ships’ is used to refer to the ships that carried Irish immigrants escaping the Great Irish Famine as well as Highlanders displaced by the Highland Clearances. These ships, crowded and disease-ridden, with poor access to food and water, resulted in the deaths of many people as they crossed the Atlantic, and led to the Typhus epidemic of 1847 at quarantine stations in Canada. Owners of coffin ships provided as little food, water, and living space as was legally possible – if they obeyed the law at all.
While coffin ships were the cheapest way to cross the Atlantic, mortality rates of 30% aboard the coffin ships were common. It was said that sharks could be seen following the ships, because so many bodies were thrown overboard.
In 21st century we don’t want to see modern day coffin ships and deaths of thousands of refugees.
Come along, join us and show your solidarity with refugees trying to escape war, torture, poverty and death.
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Irish Refugee Council Event:
To mark #WorldRefugeeDay 2015, in collaboration with SARI – Sport Against Racism Ireland and Bohemian Football Club we will be painting a mural on the grounds of Dalymount stadium. Open to all, expect some pretty good tunes from local DJs and delicious food prepared by some amazing volunteers!
