World Refugee Day is today, Monday, June 20, 2016. According to the most recent figures from the United Nations, there are more than 65 million refugees in the world. That means that one of every 113 people on Earth has been forcibly displaced from his or her homeland. If they were a country, these 65 million refugees would represent the 21st largest country in the world. Sadly, this is the largest number of refugees since World War II.
The UN’s Refugee Agency UNHCR reports that more than half (51%) of the world’s refugees are children, the largest number in 10 years. Where are the world’s refugees fleeing from? The majority of refugees come from just three countries: Syria, Afghanistan and Somalia. One in five displaced persons is from Syria. Astoundingly, 86% of refugees are hosted by developing countries, not the world’s leading economies.
It’s easy to ignore the day-to-day horrors that refugees face when we’re cocooned in the comfort of our American dream homes. To better understand the world in which they’re called to be global citizens, my sixth graders researched four different social issue topics and developed Public Service Announcements for each. Today seems like the right time to share a few of those videos with you. Perhaps you’ll be called to support a nonprofit one of my students identified. At the very least, we hope you’ll want to know more about the refugee crisis that covers the globe. We must ask ourselves, “What can we do?” Then, we must go about doing it. For more info, click here.
Pravallika & Rachel – Refugee Crisis PSA
Alexa & Kayce – Refugee Crisis PSA
Sydney & Nethra – Refugee Crisis PSA
Owen & Eric – Life in a Refugee Camp PSA
Hi Mrs.Rombach!
I’m headed off to 9th grade this year and am still keeping up with my blog! Yay!
All the adults in my family were all refugees so I always hear the stories they tell of their hardship to get here. My Dad was not hosted by a nearby country, and therefore had to escape on a boat twice with his siblings alone. It was worth it! I heard that you will be moving up to 8th grade English next year, good luck! We are a little out of place then the 6th graders now (haha)
Stay Happy 🙂
Quynh-Thi http://eatsweet.edublogs.org
Quynh-Thi-
Keep blogging, young lady! You’re created a wonderful repository of your writing and thinking–and you’ll want to mention this incredible blogging journey when you eventually apply to colleges. All the best to you at Briar Woods, young lady. I’ll miss you!
Mrs. Rombach