Rotary, Refugees, and Internally Displaced Persons
Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) are among the most vulnerable individuals and families in the world. Their number has increased substantially, with close to 80 million people forcibly displaced in 2019. Countries with large numbers of displaced populations include Afghanistan, Myanmar, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria, and Venezuela.
Many Rotarians are engaged on the frontline in providing support to refugees and IDPs. Examples of projects are available in our Washington Global Refugee Report 2020 released on June 20, for World Refugee Day.
Most members of our club work on international development and several are directly involved in providing support to refugees and IDPs. Given our expertise in this area, our club has set up a task force to explore the possibility of creating a Rotary Action Group (RAG) on refugees and IDPs, which would require a detailed proposal and approval from Rotary International.
If you are interested in this initiative, please send us an email to WashingtonGlobalRotary@gmail.com.​
Report released for the event with OAS on June 23, 2020.
2020 High-Level Event for World Refugee Day with the Organization of American States
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To honor World Refugee Day 2020, our club organized a high-level event with the Organization of American States (OAS) on June 23, 2020. Speakers included the OAS Secretary-General, the General Secretary of Rotary International, and the Foreign Ministers of Colombia and El Salvador, as well as representatives from the private sector and civil society working with refugees. The recording for the event is available on YouTube.
