The excitement for World Refugee Day falls flat in the refugee camp Goz Amer. When I first realized we’d be here on this day, I felt lucky! I thought, how special that I get to spend this day and this celebration with our refugee friends. I imagined an inclusive community party hosted by the UN Refugee Agency with music, dancing, and optimistic speeches painting a better future for Darfuris. But no, it seems I thought wrong.
I asked a young man today how he and his friends planned to celebrate World Refugee Day in the camp. He said, “Tomorrow is June 20th!?” I said, “Yes, it’s World Refugee Day, tomorrow!” He then responded, “Oh, that is just another day for us in this camp. Years ago international organizations would throw us a big celebration with activities, but the past couple of years they haven’t. They are not interested in us anymore. For us, it is just another day.”
I found this to be poignant. Today the world is celebrating refugees. There will be heads of state, celebrities, donors, students, advocates, and organizations speaking out about the need to support refugees and stand with them. And here, for Darfuris in eastern Chad, the very people the world is supposed to be celebrating, it’s just another day of feeling forgotten, without hope or a solution.
To all of you who support Darfuri refugees, thank you. The letters, pictures, and donations you share with them are invaluable. Thank you for allowing iACT to continue to come back and be the messengers of your support. In a time when the refugee crisis in the Middle East and Europe makes national headlines each week, it is more important than ever to celebrate and stand with our Darfuri refugee friends.