Kigali celebrates World refugee day

KICUKIRO - Refugees living in Kigali, yesterday, thronged the Gikondo based School of Finance and Banking (SFB) to celebrate the World Refugee day. The day, which is observed annually on June 20, aims at remembering and paying tribute to refugees around the world. This year’s theme was; “you can take away my home but you cannot take away my future.” According to the president of urban refugees, Messe Jeremie, there is a total of 1, 882 refugee families in Kigali City, majority of whom are from the Democratic Republic of Congo while others are from Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Chad and Eritrea. In their message, the refugees thanked the government of Rwanda for hosting them and guaranteeing their security when they most needed it. “We are happy that Rwanda is hosting us. We are also happy that we are living well amongst the locals,” Jeremie said. He, however, said that they wish for peace to prevail in their home countries so that they can go back. In her speech, the Deputy Representative in Charge of protection at UNHCR, Honorine Sommet Lange, hailed the Government of Rwanda for providing IDs to the refugees and said that the move was a milestone in the lives of the refugees. “The IDs will help you in opening bank accounts and in registering your associations,” Lange told the refugees who had gathered to mark the day. It is estimated that there are more than 15 million refugees among the world’s estimated 43 million people uprooted by conflict and violence. Ends

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Kigali celebrates World refugee day