World Refugee Day is an international day designated by the United Nations to honor refugees around the globe. It falls each year on June 20 and celebrates the strength and courage of people who have been forced to flee their home country to escape conflict or persecution. World Refugee Day is an occasion to build empathy and understanding for their plight and to recognize their resilience in rebuilding their lives.

Forum: World Refugee Day 2020 " Every action counts''

In a world where violence forces thousands of families to flee for their lives each day, the time is now to show that the global public stands with refugees. Families that have been forced to flee make extraordinary efforts to survive. From South Sudan to Uganda, Myanmar to Bangladesh, Syria to Jordan; they have endured long, dangerous and difficult journeys. At a time when there are more and more global crises forcing people from their homes, we are coming together to show our solidarity and to honor their resilience and determination to keep their families safe. You can take a step too. Join today and take part in the #stepwithrefugees global challenge.

Statement by the United Nations Secretary-General on World Refugee Day, 20 june.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a sharp reminder of how we are all intimately connected -- to each other and to nature.

Nearly 80 million women, children, and men around the world have been forced from their homes as refugees or internally displaced people. Even more shocking: ten million of these people fled in the past year alone.

On World Refugee Day, we pledge to do everything in our power to end the conflict and persecution that drive these appalling numbers.

Today, we also recognize the generosity and humanity of host communities and countries that often struggle with their own economic and security concerns. We owe these countries our thanks, our support and our investment.

We must all work to re-establish the integrity of the international refugee protection regime, and to implement the pledges made at the Global Refugee Forum, so that refugees and host communities receive the support they need.

This year, the COVID-19 pandemic poses an additional threat to refugees and displaced people, who are among the most vulnerable. My recent Policy Brief on COVID-19 and People on the Move called on governments to ensure that they are included in all response and recovery efforts.

Refugees and displaced people are also prominent among those who are stepping up to make a difference on the frontlines of the response.

From camps in Bangladesh to hospitals in Europe, refugees are working as nurses, doctors, scientists, teachers and in other essential roles, protecting themselves and giving back to the communities that host them.

On World Refugee Day, we thank refugees for their resourcefulness and determination to rebuild their own lives, and to improve the lives of those around them.

Today and every day, we stand in unity and solidarity with refugees and recognize our fundamental obligation to shelter those fleeing war and persecution.

António Guterres

Statement by the United Nations General Assembly President on World Refugee Day, 20 june.

On World Refugee Day we hold the 25.9 million refugees of the world in our thoughts. Refugees around the world have made treacherous journeys in pursuit of peace, prosperity, and the full enjoyment of basic human rights.

Life has become even more difficult for refugees as the world contends with the COVID-19 pandemic. Travel restrictions have prevented refugees from moving through transit countries. In camp communities, transmission prevention measures are difficult to implement. Space is often at a premium, making physical social distancing impossible. Moreover, access to hand-washing facilities and health services may be limited; and personal protective equipment, if available, may be in short supply.

I commend host countries for upholding the values of the Charter of the United Nations, in providing for the people we serve in the context of an unprecedented global challenge.

More than 134 host countries are reporting local transmission of COVID-19, and are working hard to mitigate the effects of a global health pandemic on the vulnerable group they host. Indeed, more than 80% of the world’s refugees are hosted in low and middle-income countries, where tenuous health systems are already under strain.

I urge all Member States to listen to, and heed, the voices of refugees and displaced persons as they respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The health of every person is tied to the health of those furthest behind.

On World Refugee Day, I thank the UNHCR, IOM and all humanitarian workers who have dedicated their life’s work to creating a better world for all. I commend the WHO for its continued leadership throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Today I pay tribute to the courage and resilience of refugees everywhere. Your journey has not been easy; you have experienced hardship and encountered difficulties. Yet, you have persisted in pursuit of a future which is free from fear, and full of possibility. We share your dreams of a better world for your children. Do not lose hope.

We will leave no one behind. Together, we will build back better for a brighter future.

Tijjani Muhammad-Bande

Statement by the High Commissioner for Refugees on World Refugee Day 2020, June 20.

Resolutions and Declarations;

• General Assembly Resolution 55/76 on World Refugee Day

• Convention and Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees

Forced displacements - U.N. Security Council Open Video-teleconference.

Briefing by Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, on Forced Displacement, during the Security Council Open VTC. Today, the UNHCR’s annual Global Trends report, was published ahead of the Day.