Saturday, June 20, 2009

Today’s Video: World Refugee Day

Saturday commemorates World Refugee Day, a date in which we think about the over 42 million displaced people worldwide.

The topic of displaced people is a pressing issue throughout the Americas. As we mentioned earlier this week, Colombia is the country with the most internally displaced people in the world with over 3 million refugees. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) refugees in Mexico and Central America are at risk, especially migrants who venture northward. Yet there are some bright spots such as the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants naming of Brazil, Ecuador and Costa Rica as the best countries for refugees.

Below is a 2008 video from the UNHCR that examines the heartbreaking experiences of a few of Colombia’s internal refugees:

Online Sources- UPI, The Latin Americanist, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Voice of America, YouTube