World Refugee Day, A World Without Home, When I was young, I knew what it meant to be without a home. I was a child who understood nothing about the world, but I knew the displacement within my country in search of safety.
Days passed, and I grew up far from my homeland, becoming a refugee outside my country, with no chance to meet my family or friends. Again, I was searching for safety, and every journey carried me to a new place, where I sought safety. But, have you ever thought about what safety means to you?
What is the value of having a home that shelters you with your family, where you gather around your children, and feel safe? Many of us do not realize the value of things and do not give importance to what we have, like a home. This small haven to which you return after a long and tiring day, is a small blessing many do not appreciate.
But, my friend, do you know that there are 117 million people around the world who are away from their homes, whether as refugees or internally displaced persons? The reasons are many, but the most important ones are wars and economic crises.
The refugee crisis has imposed pressure on host countries. We see some of these pressures on the streets and on the internet. Some countries force refugees to return by tightening restrictions on them, politicizing public opinion against them, and even worse, waiting for a single mistake from the refugee to seize the opportunity to arrest and return them, distorting the image of refugees.
I know that there are countries suffering economically and politically, but why is the blame always placed on the refugees without holding officials accountable for their failures? Why do we place the blame on the weakest segment?
We must not forget that the safety we enjoy might be a distant dream for many people around the world. Let’s try to do what we can for a world that embraces us all in peace. June 20th is World Refugee Day; let’s try to help them in any way we can. Believe me, one nice word can make their day.