140 Mark World Refugee Day

at USF

LSF CEO Calls for
Refugee Advocacy

27 June 2008 - TW

About 140 people gathered at the University of South Florida (USF) on June 20 to commemorate World Refugee Day, designated by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to honor refugees worldwide.  The event was jointly sponsored by Lutheran Services Florida (LSF) and the USF International Affairs Department.

LSF President and CEO Samuel Sipes kicked off the event's news conference by calling for public advocacy of refugees coming to the United States.

"Around the world, the number of people fleeing for their lives and seeking freedom has grown significantly," he said.  "It is estimated that the global refugee population is over 10 million and many of these people have lived in refugee camps for decades. Yet, the United States has slowed its admission of refugees in recent years."

Sipes went on to state that LSF, "compelled by our faith in God and our commitment to the dignity of human life, ... is proud to join others who speak and act boldly on behalf of the huddled masses of the world yearning to breathe free."

Sipes pointed out that LSF was founded first as an agency that resettled refugees back in the 1970s and since that time has resettled more than 200,000 refugees.  From that experience, the agency has learned that refugees "cherish freedom and peace and enrich cultural diversity in our communities," said Sipes.  "They work hard, pay taxes, and build strong families.  Refugees make us stronger as a nation."

In addition to the opening remarks by Sipes and a panel of representatives of various agencies working, there were also five refugees who spoke about their experience.  Among those speaking were three refugees brought to the United States by LSF:  Aya Kossi from Togo, Daniel Agau from Sudan, and Mateneh Teoh from Liberia.

LSF Regional Director for Tampa Bay, Rubis Castro, who served as MC for the event, stated that she was quite moved by the experience shared by one of the speakers, who said,  "No one wants to be a refugee. Living in a refugee camp is not a good place, you are barely alive. Now in America we are living. It is not easy and you have to work very hard, but you can achieve the American dream for you and your family.”

Speaking about the World Refugee Day gathering, Ms. Castro stated, "This event is important because of the lack of knowledge that the average American has.  We keep on saying that things are getting better - they're not. They're not publicized in the newspapers, and so we need to take a stand and let people know that we're not going to let this happen and that we are going to get involved."

The other agencies and organizations who participated in the World Refugee Day event included Catholic Charities, Gulf Coast Jewish Family Services, the Florida Center for Survivors of Torture, Refugee Services of the Florida Department of Children and Family Services, USF's African Student Association, STAND Student Anti-Genocide Coalition, and USF's Office of International Affairs.

Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio had also issued a special Proclamation naming June 20 “World Refugee Day in the City of Tampa,” and asking all citizens to “Join me in expressing appreciation to Lutheran Services Florida and all of the organizations involved in this effort for their many contributions to the citizens of our community.”

Read more about the World Refugee Day event at USF in the article published in the Oracle, the campus student newspaper, by clicking here.

Read also about an event commemorating the day at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Plaza in Tampa as reported by WMNF radio by clicking here.

For more pictures of the USF commemoration, click here.

For an earlier report announcing the event, click here.

Lutheran Services Florida is a statewide, non-profit, human care agency dedicated to helping all people in need regardless of religious affiliation, age, or national origin.  Since the LSF Refugee Resettlement Program began nearly 25 years ago, over 200,000 refugees have received help to build new lives in freedom.  The agency has 65 programs located across Florida and has provided assistance to nearly 750,000 children and families in need.
 

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