Indy Organizations Partner Together to Celebrate World Refugee Day
June 20, 2018: Indianapolis, IN, USA — This year marks the seventh year of the Burmese American Community Institute’s (BACI) partnership with the Indy Parks Foundation to observe World Refugee Day. Approximately 100 Burmese-Americans from BACI’s summer scholars and college prep programs, along with volunteers from Indy’s Center of Interfaith Cooperation (CIC) and the Coalition of Our Immigrant Neighbors (COIN), engaged in a day of service and commemoration at the Indy Urban Acres Farm.
Students and former refugees drawing a symbolic artistic for a helping hand
Our partners at CIC stated that “this annual event has grown to be an opportunity for communities and organizations in Indianapolis to participate in service and lift up a community engagement alongside our newest neighbors”. Indy Urban Acres harvests around 30,000 pounds of fresh produce annually, which it donates to local food pantries.
The activities of the day included weeding the gardens and engaging in the “Walk a Mile in a Refugee’s Shoes” simulation, led by the event’s newest partner, COIN, an immigration service center in Central Indiana. In Indianapolis alone, there are approximately 17,000 Burmese refugees. Students were able to experience what their family members and friends went through while fleeing to Malaysia, India, and other neighboring countries.
The volunteers at the event enjoyed Syrian cuisine home-made by local refugees and listened to the poster presentations of the BACI student. Through these posters, the students reflected upon the journey of refugees and shared what World Refugee Day means to them. The symbolism used by the students emphasized the importance of international cooperation and the U.S.’s global leadership role in providing refugee protection and giving new hope.
“This volunteer day is one way of giving back to the city and community that has given us so much and at the same time show our solidarity with refugees around the world who have courageously demonstrated resilience and perseverance through their difficult journey,” said Lian Sang, Programs Director at BACI.
World Refugee Day was established by the United Nations in 2001 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Status Convention. Today, there are 25.4 million refugees around the world, and another 40 million people forcibly displaced in their own countries.
Volunteers on World Refugee Day posed a group photo at Indy Urban Acre Farm operated by Indy Parks and Recreation, Indianapolis
Founded in 2011, BACI has assisted more than 6,000 refugees and newcomers with their U.S. integration through educational and immigration services. If you are interested to help refugees in our community succeed, please consider donating today!
