Recognising World Refugee Day

World Refugee Day

I recently travelled to the Bokolmayo refugee camp in Dollo Ado, Ethiopia, to start the next phase of fieldwork, and I observed preparations to recognise World Refugee Day on 20 June 2018. This day commemorates the strength, courage, and perseverance of refugees around the world. Each year, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), together with groups around the world, hosts events to raise awareness among the public about the millions of refugees and internally displaced persons globally who have been forced to leave their homes because of war, conflict, and emergencies. These events occur in over 100 countries.

In Dollo Ado, numerous organisations and partners were involved in World Refugee Day events. Major actors, such as the Administration for Refugees and Returnee Affairs (ARRA) and UNHCR, in partnership with local organisations and the refugee community, were fully engaged in the preparations for the event. When I arrived at the event—the first time I have attended such an important event in the camp—I was fascinated to hear Somali songs being played by both male and female performers and to watch different dramas performed by actors from the refugee community. As I observed everyone singing, dancing and other performances, I realised the value of these events for the refugee community. Life and traditions need to continue, even in the context of displacement. Through the performances, many people were able to enjoy themselves and reconnect with their lives prior to displacement. Wearing t-shirts of prominent football players, such as the German Striker Ozil or Barcelona’s Messi, the children were seen enjoying the activities as well.

My observations on World Refugee Day are also supported by perspectives of refugee community members who, during qualitative interviews in the formative phase of the project, described their strong cultural traditions and the impact of displacement on these ceremonies and events. Numerous interviewees described the challenges of continuing these traditions in the camp, and how this negatively affected their mental well-being and daily life.

I realised again the value of honouring cultural traditions and ceremonies. Our project has taken this approach right from the start by taking into account cultural traditions and ceremonies in the design of the program. It is our hope that by incorporating a cultural tradition—the Somali Tea Ceremony—into our intervention, we will optimise program participation and engagement, and potentially increase the effectiveness of the program.

Samuel Tewolde
Intervention Specialist for Emergency Operations
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

June 2018