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The following is an extract from the speech of the
Officer in Charge in Baku John McKissick:
“Azerbaijan continues to be a role model globally
for the treatment of IDPs, with about one million
uprooted inside the country finding coping
mechanisms and flourishing in displacement due to
assistance from the Government.
Smaller yet significant numbers of refugees, from
places like Afghanistan and Chechnya, and stateless
persons, many of whom were born here or share
cultural and linguistic ties with the country, would
like to have the same rights as IDPs or former
refugees who acquired Azerbaijani nationality.
UNHCR is confident that Azerbaijani hospitality will
also embrace them.”
“Continuous joint efforts of UNHCR and the
Government will enable protracted refugees to find a
durable solution to their displacement. New
arrivals will know that in Azerbaijan they can
obtain refugee status, and feel safe and protected.
Likewise, UNHCR holds out its hand to Azerbaijan in
solidarity with the hundreds of thousands of IDPs
displaced for decades, and hopes for a breakthrough,
which will enable them to go home some day if they
so chose.”
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Central message of a new
UNHCR global
awareness campaign launched last
week is widely broadcasting through
Azerbaijan TV channels and placed on
digital boards on main public places
in the capital. The slogan "even one
family forced to flee, one refugee
forced to return to danger is one
too many" was presented during the
celebration of world Refugee day –
20 June hosted by the Government of
Azerbaijan in The State Academy of
Public Administration under the
President of Azerbaijan.
During the celebration the UNHCR and
its partners, including government
officials, donors, non-governmental
organizations, ambassadors and
refugee themselves, took an active
part in awareness-raising, cultural
activities through performing
traditional dances and songs under
enthusiastic chants and clapping.
More than 300 people across the
country attended a special event
dedicated to World Refugee Day in
the State Academy of Public
Administration under the President
of Azerbaijan, enjoyed Afghan folk
songs and Azeri classical singing
such as mugham as well as the
refugee and IDP photos snapshot by
UNHCR staff and refugee drawing
exhibition exclusively opened for
the world Refugee Day. “Shopping
with purpose” as a humanitarian
action bazaar has been presented
with the Chechen , Iranian and
Afghan refugee women.
State Academy of Public
Administration under the President
of Azerbaijan exclusively opened an
e-portal giving the possibilities to
cover the wide audience to view the
celebration of World Refugee Day on
line and express their solidarity.
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