Refugee Week is a UK-wide festival celebrating the contributions, creativity and resilience of refugees. Founded in 1998 and held every year around World Refugee Day on the 20 June, Refugee Week is also a growing global movement.
For several years refugees from conflict in the Middle East have found a home among us here in Kintore and Aberdeenshire. These Syrian, Palestinian and Iraqi refugees have become our neighbours and our friends. This week we received the following letter from Katie MacLean, Refugee Resettlement Coordinator for Aberdeenshire Council:
Colleagues,
Next week marks World Refugee Week 2020. Normally in Aberdeenshire, we come together with the new Scots’ families, volunteers and communities to celebrate but with Covid-19 restrictions we’ve had to rethink and reimagine.
Instead, the Syrian, Palestinian and Iraqi new Scots’ families have produced a short clip on the theme of “Thank you Scotland”. It includes posters by the children and iconic photos from Aberdeenshire and around Scotland.
Please feel free to share the clip next week with colleagues or on social media using the hashtag #WorldRefugeeDay
Katie MacLean
Refugee Resettlement Coordinator
Aberdeenshire Council
According to the UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Agency, there are currently more than 70 million people worldwide who have been forcibly displaced from their homes.
