Target 5: Global Impact

June 20 is World Refugee Day. Join Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®, Tau Nu Omega Chapter in supporting refugees across the globe to be protected and included in health care, education, and sport. The year's theme is: “Together we heal, learn and shine.”

World Refugee Day is an international day designated by the United Nations to honor refugees around the globe. It falls each year on June 20 and celebrates the strength and courage of people who have been forced to flee their country to escape conflict or persecution.  World Refugee Day is an occasion to build empathy and understanding for their plight and recognize their resilience in rebuilding their lives.

World Refugee Day was held globally for the first time on June 20, 2001, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees. It was initially known as Africa Refugee Day before the United Nations General Assembly officially designated it as an international day in December 2000.

People leave everything behind to escape war, persecution, or terror. Millions of individuals have been forcibly displaced worldwide because of conflict, violence, or human rights violations. Many African refugees who have relocated to the United States have received little to no support.  These refugees have experienced traumatic displacement from their homes and countries and have significant difficulties integrating into American life.

Through Target 5: Global Impact and the Refugees in America Assistance Program, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® partners with organizations engaged in support activities that assist refugees and their families in integrating into American life. This includes literacy classes, educational training, and other necessary transitional support. The goal of Alpha Kappa Alpha is to assist refugees of African and other descent in integrating into life in the United States while also increasing awareness of refugee issues and concerns.

On April 9, 2021 (Global Impact Day), Tau Nu Omega Chapter adopted a resolution to support a refugee family in the South Bronx with their transitional and educational needs through 2022. It is because of community support that we can help South Bronx Refugee families and you continued assistance is much appreciated. 

As we observe World Refugee Day, we must not forget that America was founded by refugees and immigrants who came to this country to find a better life. This tradition continues today.

“World Refugee Day is a reminder that there is no ‘us’ and ‘them.’ There is only us, one human family connected in ways we sometimes forget.” ~ Ann Curry