IOM Assists Ukrainians to Escape Violence in Syria
17 July 2012
The International Organization for Migration assisted 54 stranded Ukrainian women and children to escape the conflict in Syria as of mid-July. Travel arrangements for a further 27 are in the pipeline. The IOM Mission and Ukrainian Embassy in Damascus are working to return them to Ukraine as soon as possible.
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Role of Sport in Countering Xenophobia in Ukraine Discussed with UN Under-Secretary-General
2 July 2012
At the final days of the EURO 2012 football tournament in Ukraine and Poland, the UN Under-Secretary-General, Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General on Sport for Development and Peace Mr. Wilfried Lemke visited Kyiv upon the UEFA invitation. As the issues of sport, migration and cultural diversity are traditionally connected in global context, Mr. Lemke, inter alia, had an opportunity to learn firsthand how the rights of migrants are protected and racism and xenophobia are addressed in Ukraine.
At the office of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Mr. Lemke met Ukrainian non-governmental organizations working in this sphere and united by the Diversity Initiative (DI), a network of over 60 organizations, co-chaired by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and IOM.
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Children of Victims of Trafficking Spend Memorable Camp Vacation
25 June 2012
A summer camp for children of victims of trafficking was organized in Vinnytsia region by the NGO Dzherelo Nadii and local scouts association with the support of Caritas Charitable Foundation, IOM Ukraine and the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The programme of their ten-day stay was designed to provide children with maximum opportunities for leisure and personal development. Camp participants gained some camping experience, attended handcrafts classes, practiced sports and went through the psychological trainings to learn how to deal with conflict and stressful situations, be self-confident and make friends. Each day was concluded by singing songs and playing games at a traditional bonfire. When the vacation was over, nobody wanted to leave, so strong were the friendships and team spirit born in the camp.
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UN Secretary-General’s message on World Refugee Day
20 June 2012
More than 42 million people around the world have been forcibly displaced from their homes and communities. More than a million fled their countries in the last eighteen months alone due to a wave of conflicts, in Cote d’Ivoire, Libya, Mali, Somalia, Sudan and Syria. These numbers represent far more than statistics; they are individuals and families whose lives have been upended, whose communities have been destroyed, and whose future remains uncertain.
World Refugee Day is a moment to remember all those affected, and a time to intensify our support.
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