The World Celebrates World Refugee Day

Thursday, June 20th Malawi joined the global village in recognizing the courage and resilience of the displaced people around the world who have been forced to flee their homes due to war, conflict, persecution, or natural disasters.

The United Nations established World Refugee Day in 2001 to honor the strength and determination of refugees and to raise awareness about their challenges.

Reminding member states, the UN calls for a moment to acknowledge the struggles and triumphs of refugees and work towards creating a more inclusive and compassionate world for all.

Homeland Security Minister, Kenneth Zikhale Ng’oma has reaffirmed government’s commitment in safeguarding and promoting the welfare of refugees and asylum seekers saying Malawi has a long and proud history of extending a hand of friendship and support to those fleeing conflict and persecution.

He said, this is the time for the citizenry to reflect on the shared humanity and pressing need for solidarity in action calling upon refugees and asylum seekers to ensure that there is a collective action and responsibility in upholding the laws of the country.

“Our nation has opened its doors to refugees, offering them sanctuary, dignity and hope embracing the principles of solidarity, recognizing that the plight of refugees is not just a distant concern, but a shared responsibility that demands a collective action,” Ng’oma said.

He further stated that government is committed in supporting refugees and asylum seekers, hence identifying the new settlement like Kayilizi in chitipa district pointing out that it will continue to repatriate refugees and asylum seekers as well as offering them opportunity to integrate in accordance with the laws of the country.

The Homeland Security Ministry has since urged the citizenry to remain vigilant in safeguarding the peace and security of the country inorder to live with peace and tranquillity.

The world Refugee Day falls on 20th June annually, and this year’s commemorations are held under the theme “Solidarity In Action: Duilding Solutions Together” but locally activities marking the event will be held on the 4th July 2024 at Dzaleka refugee camp in Dowa district.