Commemorated every year on June 20th, World Refugee Day is an internationally recognised day that honours refugees from around the world. Today, in observation of World Refugee Day, we want to take the opportunity to recognise and respect the courage and strength these individuals show while being forced to flee violence, persecution or war in their own countries.

It is the most difficult decision anyone could make – and yet, every day, all over the world, people must leave everything behind in search for a safer and better life. According to Amnesty International, they are currently 26 million refugees worldwide, and half of them are children. Sometimes, being separated from their loved ones, they find themselves in a strange and foreign country, where they have to learn to cope with what they’ve seen and experienced. However, many of these children are extremely resilient, and in spite of what they’ve been through, they adapt extraordinarily well to their new environment.

Feeling safe, stable, and secure are things that are often taken for granted by people living in advanced economies today – but such luxuries are not enjoyed everywhere. Safety is a basic human need, and everyone has the right to feel safe. Today, on World Refugee Day, we wish to take this opportunity to send a message of solidarity and sympathy to the millions of children, women and men worldwide who risk their lives to find a safe haven for themselves and their families.