UNIS/SGSM/1412
19 June 2024
From Sudan to Ukraine, from the Middle East to Myanmar to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and beyond, conflict, climate chaos and upheaval are forcing record numbers of people from their homes and fueling profound human suffering.
The latest figures show that a total of more than 120 million people around the world are forcibly displaced, including 43.5 million refugees.
World Refugee Day is about honouring their strength and courage – and stepping up efforts to protect and support refugees on every step of their journey.
Refugees need global solidarity and the ability to rebuild their lives in dignity.
When given the opportunity, refugees make significant contributions to their host communities, but they need access to equal opportunities and to jobs, housing, and healthcare.
Young refugees need quality education to achieve their dreams.
And generous host countries, mostly low- or middle-income countries, need the support and resources to fully include refugees in societies and economies.
Let us pledge to reaffirm the world’s collective responsibility in assisting and welcoming refugees … in upholding their human rights including the right to seek asylum … in safeguarding the integrity of the refugee protection regime … and ultimately, in resolving conflicts so that those forced from their communities can return home.
* *** *
"From the telegraph to radio, from the Internet to Artificial Intelligence, technology has transformed how we live, work, and connect." — António Guterres
Barbados signed and deposited its instrument of ratification for the United Nations Convention on the International Effects of Judicial Sales of Ships (the “Beijing Convention on the Judicial Sale of Ships”) at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on 8 May 2025.
Journalists are invited to cover the 34th session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ) to be held from 19 to 23 May in Vienna, Austria.
"On this Day of Vesak, I extend my warmest wishes to Buddhists worldwide as they commemorate the birth, enlightenment, and passing of the Buddha." — António Guterres
