Today, the 20th of June, is World Refugee day. FunDza and the UNHCR have released a short love story in celebration of this – available here. Read more about our collaboration here.
The UNHCR has launched a new social advocacy campaign aimed at exposing the devastating impact of war on families. Their press release follows:
A dozen celebrity supporters have signed up to the “1 family” campaign by recording a video message that will be broadcast globally.
June 20th is the day designated by the UN to commemorate the strength and resilience of the more than 45 million people around the world forced to flee their homes due to war or persecution.
Multiple refugee emergencies have forced record numbers of people to flee – yet the vast majority of media coverage given over to the conflicts in Syria, Mali, South Sudan and DRC, rarely focuses on the human cost of war.
Through its strong campaign message, compelling graphics and a poignant call to action the “1 family” “campaign aims to remind our key audiences that behind the casualty statistics the victims of war are mothers, fathers, sons and daughters. Tens of thousands of families- who have left everything behind.
When families are forced to flee they may have only a minute to gather what they need to escape the violence. The “1 family” campaign aims to engage audiences by asking them to contemplate what it would be like to take one’s family and flee — leaving everything behind.
The call to action project was inspired by a UNHCR commissioned photo series called, The Most Important Thing by photographer Brian Sokol. The photo project reveals – through words and pictures- the heart-wrenching decisions refugee families had to make when they decide to flee their home. It takes us on a harrowing journey by focusing on what families took, and recounting how they survived.
On World Refugee Day UNHCR is asking the public to make the same perilous journey – if only for a moment – by contemplating what they would take if forced to flee. The public can upload a photo of themselves with their chosen object- or tweet about it. The photos will be uploaded to a Pinterest board dedicated to the project. UNHCR offices around the world have already contributed by photographing refugees and internally displaced persons from various countries and will encourage their local audiences to participate as well.
For information on the World Refugee Day campaign and call-to-action please contact:
Leigh Foster, Chief, Strategic Communications: Foster@unhcr.org
Stephen Pattison, Public Relations Officer: Pattison@unhcr.org
Nirosha Balasubramaniam, Assistant Public Relations Officer: Balasubn@unhcr.org
For more information and photos of UNHCR celebrity supporters and Goodwill Ambassadors, please contact:
Alison Tilbe, Manager, Global Goodwill Ambassador programme:
Tilbe@unhcr.org
For more information on 2012 Global Trends Statistics Report:
Adrian Edwards, Chief of Media and Content: Edwards@unhcr.org
On Twitter follow the hashtag #1family and UNHCR @refugees
About World Refugee Day, June 20 2013
World Refugee Day, June 20, UNHCR commemorates the strength and resilience of the more than 45 million people around the world forced to flee their homes due to war or persecution. Multiple refugee emergencies have forced record numbers of people to flee – yet the vast majority of media coverage given over to the conflicts in Syria, Mali, South Sudan and DRC, rarely focuses on the human cost of war. The “1 family” campaign aims to remind the world that the victims of war are mothers, fathers, sons and daughters and that even 1 family torn apart by war is too many.