World Refugee Day: Whoever. Wherever. Whenever. Everyone has the right to seek safety

World Refugee Day is observed on June 20 each year. People honor the spirit and courage of millions of refugees worldwide on World Refugee Day. It is a day to acknowledge the contributions of refugees in their communities.

The theme of World Refugee Day this year is “Whoever. Wherever. Whenever. Everyone has the right to seek safety”. This year the theme of the day focuses on the dignity of the refugees. Anyone can seek protection, regardless of who they are or what they believe. Seeking safety is a human right.

A refugee is someone who fled his or her home and country owing to “a well-founded fear of persecution because of his/her race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion,” according to the United Nations 1951 Refugee Convention.

A large-scale refugee crisis is difficult to manage, but UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres reminds us that “the problems are violence and hatred, not individuals fleeing.” The goal of World Refugee Day is to raise awareness of the issue and demonstrate to refugees that by working together, we can resolve the crisis and assist displaced people in finding secure and happy homes.

Refugees might take shelter in any country, but it is the responsibility of the international community to look after them. As the people of Bangladesh understood the torments of the refugees, they did not take time to provide shelter to these displaced Rohingyas. The whole world, including the United Nations, has stood beside the Rohingyas and praised Bangladesh for sheltering them.