World Refugee Day is celebrated each year on 20 June to promote global solidarity with refugees. On that day people around the world commemorate the strength, courage and perseverance of millions of refugees. World Refugee Day was first celebrated on June 20, 2001 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees. This important day is a chance to raise awareness in our own communities about the conditions endured by millions of refugees every day. Together, we have an opportunity to show how everyone can help make a lasting impact on the lives of refugees in need. Across the world there are currently over 120 million people who have had to leave their homes. Some have settled in new countries; many more are living in refugee camps, waiting for it to be safe enough to go home or settle in a different country.
In a special message, António Guterres, Secretary General of the UN, states that despite facing unimaginable loss and growing challenges—including rising xenophobia and reduced support—refugees continue to show remarkable courage and determination. Host communities, often in developing countries, carry a disproportionate share of responsibility. This situation is both unfair and unsustainable. “On World Refugee Day, we are reminded that solidarity must be more than words. It means increasing support, protecting the right to seek asylum, offering durable solutions like resettlement, and ensuring refugees have a say in shaping their futures,” says Mr. Guterres. “It also means investing in long-term inclusion through education, decent work, and equal rights. Becoming a refugee is never a choice — but how we respond is. Let us choose solidarity, humanity, and hope.”