Selection Announced as Number of People Who
Are Forcibly Displaced Reaches 120 Million Globally
WASHINGTON, June 18,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In recognition of World Refugee
Day, June 20, USA for UNHCR today announced 20-year-old
Lucky Karim, a former Rohingya refugee, as the organization's
featured storyteller.
Lucky's narrative of her journey – a path that led her from a
refugee camp in Bangladesh to the
halls of Congress to advocate for the Rohingya – was selected from
a group of powerful submissions to the Storyteller Celebration
contest.
"Lucky Karim's advocacy for Rohingya refugees is brave and
transformative," said Suzanne
Ehlers, Executive Director and CEO of USA for UNHCR. "I've been to the refugee camps
in Bangladesh and have heard
firsthand from the people there the desire for education and a
dignified future. Lucky is a generational voice for the Rohingya
people, and she carries an immense responsibility at a young age
with grace and determination."
Lucky's family was forced to flee violent military
crackdowns in their village in 2017. They joined nearly
a million refugees that have sought safety in Cox's Bazar,
Bangladesh. Lucky quickly learned
Bangla and English with the help of tutors and by watching videos
on YouTube, and found herself advocating for her community's needs
as a teenager at tables with NGOs and the United Nations. After
living in a refugee camp for five years, Lucky was resettled to the
U.S. in 2022 — and she continues to embrace her role as an advocate
for refugee rights.
"I believe refugees around the world should hear my story to be
inspired, to be encouraged, and to know that stateless and refugee
girls can still do anything," says Lucky. "The Rohingya are capable
enough if they're given a chance. If they're allowed to go to
school, they can do anything. We have people that can be doctors,
that can be teachers or engineers. Give them a chance and then see
who they can be."
Lucky hopes her forthcoming memoir, Born Lucky, inspires
interest and action for Rohingya refugees among a young adult
audience. "When I say 'born lucky,' of course I wasn't lucky when I
was born, but I made myself lucky."
Minnesotan Kyle Kvamme is also
featured as part of this year's contest as a refugee ally. In
Minneapolis, Kyle works for the
Organization for Refuge, Asylum and Migration (ORAM) – its mission
is to protect and empower LGBTQ+ asylum seekers and refugees
globally. At ORAM, Kyle plays a vital role in uplifting the stories
of refugees. "I have the privilege of speaking to some of the
bravest and kindest people, who happen to identify as LGBTQ
refugees," Kyle shares. "At the end of the day, we have so much
more in common than what divides us."
To screen short films featuring Lucky and Kyle, and learn more
about these individual stories, visit
unrefugees.org/refugee-facts/world-refugee-day/.
About USA for UNHCR
USA for UNHCR protects and
supports refugees by mobilizing resources, elevating awareness and
driving action through a network of engaged supporters. Supporting
UNHCR – the UN Refugee Agency – and its partners, we provide
lifesaving essentials including shelter, water, food, safety and
protection. Around the world, we help refugees survive, recover and
build a better future. Established by concerned American citizens,
USA for UNHCR is a 501(c)(3)
nonprofit organization. For more information,
visit www.UNrefugees.org.
First celebrated on June 20, 2001,
to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Convention Relating
to the Status of Refugees, World Refugee Day is a key moment in
time to communicate with the world about who refugees are and why
they require protection.
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SOURCE USA for UNHCR