New Mexico News
| Catholic Charities To Celebrate Refugee Day With Music and Dancers |
| Posted by Peter Phipps (pphipps) on Jun 10 2008 at 7:25 PM |
In celebration of World Refugee Day, Catholic Charities' Center for Refugee Settlement and Support is hosting an event at the Outpost Performance Space from 3 to 5 p.m. June 22. Free and open to the public, it will include performances by Grammy-nominated musician Rahim AlHaj, and Cuban and African dancers. Refugees from various countries will also share their personal stories.
“It's a celebration, acknowledgement and way to get the word out about refugees,” says Feliz Tixier, volunteer coordinator for the organization. “We want to let people know that Albuquerque is a center for refugee settlement and support.”
Since 2000, Catholic Charities' refugee resettlement program has helped approximately 2,000 people from 26 countries find safe haven in New Mexico. It serves those who've fled their homeland, and are unable or unwilling to return, because of fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, social group and/or political opinion, says Tixier.
“It's more urgent than what you would call an 'immigrant,' ” she says. Albuquerque has seen an increase in refugees from Iraq, Cuba and the Republic of Burundi in Africa, she says.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees says some 40 million people worldwide are already uprooted by violence and persecution, and it is likely that the future will see more people on the run. Refugees do not just flee persecution and war but also injustice, exclusion, environmental pressures and competition for scarce resources.
Catholic Charities' program helps people find housing, obtain medical and educational services, learn the English language, and find employment. Tixier says the celebration is not a fundraiser. But, in general, the organization accepts in-kind donations of furniture, linens, toiletries, etc. It also welcomes volunteers to assist, befriend and tutor refugees to become more self-sufficient.
Seating for the World Refugee Day celebration is limited to 150, so call ahead to make reservations. To contact Catholic Charities Center for Refugee Settlement and Support, call 724-4629. For information about Catholic Charities in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, visit ccasfnm.org.
Comments
Add Comment