RYVU WORLD REFUGEE DAY ACTIVITIES IN UGANDA AND THE UK
World Refugee Day activities in Kampala, Uganda
This year, the RYVU project celebrated the World Refugee Day across borders, with simultaneous activities happening in Kampala and the Nakivale refugee settlement, in Uganda; and Newcastle upon Tyne, in the UK. In total, the dissemination activities were attended by more than 800 people, celebrating refugees’ strength and courage while disseminating learning from the RYVU project.
World Refugee Day is an international day designated by the United Nations to honour refugees around the world. This year, the focus was on the right to seek safety, which comprises the right to seek asylum, safe access, no pushbacks, no discrimination and the importance of humane treatment.
The RYVU project celebrated the World Refugee Day simultaneously in Uganda and the UK, disseminating knowledge gained during the project and showcasing photos taken by young refugees themselves about their volunteering experiences. In Uganda, the activities took place in urban Kampala and the rural refugee settlement of Nakivale, two of the RYVU research sites.
In Kampala, the RYVU team joined the refugee-led celebrations on the 20th of June, during which the RYVU photo exhibit was displayed and RYVU team members Prof Matt Baillie Smith, Dr Bianca Fadel, Dr Moses Okech and Dr Robert Turyamureeba spoke about the project and actively engaged with event participants. The RYVU project also joined celebrations that took place in Kampala on the 29th June, supporting the UNHCR and the Ugandan Office of the Prime Minister in the event activities. In Nakivale, RYVU joined activities organised on the 20th of June, during which the RYVU photo exhibit was displayed and presented to participants with the support of the refugee-led organisation Stand for Change and Unity. The activities were well attended by the refugee communities, government officials and representatives from humanitarian and development organisations.
At the same time, in the UK the photo exhibit “Volunteering, Displacement & Livelihoods: Photographs by Young Refugees in Uganda” was opened at the Gallery North, in Newcastle upon Tyne. RYVU team member Dr Sarah Mills presented the exhibit and key messages from the project to a group of visitors including students, community members and university staff.
