Yesterday, June 20th, was World Refugee Day, a day intended to reflect on refugee issues and think about the 43 million individuals who are currently displaced worldwide. (Check out these powerful photographs to help put a human face to the many refugee conflicts taking place.) To capture the sentiments of the day UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said, "Refugees leave because they have no choice. We must choose to help.”
I have realized that there are, in fact, many people who want to help refugees and do care deeply about displaced persons. Two days ago I attended a Capitol Hill reception in honor of World Refugee Day and recently deceased Congressman Donald Payne, who dedicated a significant portion of his career and his life to bring attention to displaced situations in Africa and around the world. It was inspiring to hear various members of Congress, including the Congressman for whom I am interning, talk about their commitment to address these issues and use their position in government to help those born into harsher circumstances. Perhaps the most touching part was hearing Abdalmageed Haroun, a Darfuri human rights activist who was tortured in prison until Congressman Payne’s person letters to Sudan resulted in his release. Continue reading