This is the VOA Special English Development Report.
The United Nations refugee agency says the world had nearlytwenty-million refugees and other “people of concern” as last yearbegan. Twelve-million lived outside their own countries. The restwere asylum-seekers, refugees returning home and so-calledinternally displaced persons. These are people who have fled theirhomes but remain within their own country.
Asia had the most refugees,followed by Africa and Europe. The total number of people of concernto the U-N agency was down by two-million from the year before.However, the situation remains a serious international problem.
The United Nations defines refugees as people who fear beingoppressed because of such things as their religion, nationality orrace. They may also fear mistreatment because of their social groupor political opinions.
The U-N has declared this Friday, June twentieth, World RefugeeDay. Organizers have centered this year’s campaign on young people.U-N officials say the goal is to provide young refugees with a senseof self-respect and value.
In Australia, messages about theworld’s refugees will be broadcast in many different languages. InMoldova, a Refugee Food Day and a “Rock for Refugees” musicperformance are planned.
A writing and art competition for schoolchildren is planned inGreece. The U-N refugee agency said it would also negotiate with thegovernment a joint policy paper for the protection of asylum-seekingchildren in the country.
In Guinea, special plays and music shows are planned withperformers from among refugees in the capital, Conakry. A film aboutyoung refugees will also be shown.
Special events in Nicaragua include a discussion organized bythree universities. Refugees from El Salvador and Guatemala havebeen invited to tell their stories.
These are just a few of the events the U-N refugee agency hashelped organize for this year’s World Refugee Day.
To learn more about the world’s refugee problem, listen to V-O-ANews Now which will broadcast stories all this week. V-O-A reportersaround the world will explore issues that refugees and governmentsface. They will also tell about some of the places where the refugeecrisis is most severe.
This VOA Special English Development Report was written by JillMoss.