Charity Yard Sale at RCTV "Memoria"

On the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, commemorated annually on 26th of June, the The Rehabilitation Center of Torture Victims Memoria organised a Charity Yard Sale in order to support victims and the survivors of torture. The goal of the event was to raise people awareness on issues of torture victims and to provide, in this way, more help and support to those who have gone through quite stressful life situations.

Bracelets, belts and Eco bags, room flowers, jewelry, toys and clothes for children, greeting cards and other handmade articles were available for sale at the fair. Beneficiaries admitted that handmade work is an opportunity to socialize and share experiences that bind also to learn something new and useful.

The Charity Centre for Refugees, represented by its volunteer team, supported the enrollment of the event and participated in it, as a partner by presenting handmade objects created by refugees that live in Moldova, some of them being, including beneficiaries of RCTV "Memoria", which is an opportunity to develop relations of friendship and support between the two organizations, but also to encourage victims of torture to continue their fight for a normal life.

Moldova commemorated the World Refugee Day 2016 - We stand together #WithRefugees

UNHCR Moldova along with its implementing partners – the Charity Centre for Refugees, Ave Copiii, the Law Centre of Advocates and the Bureau of Migration and Asylum worked together to commemorate the World Refugee Day, by organizing a day full of cultural and entertaining activities to mark the day. The main scope of the event was to raise awareness of the local community on the fact that refugees are people like everyone of us, “to send a message to governments that they must work together and do their fair share for refugees”.

The event was held in Valea Morilor Park, Chisinau, on Saturday the 18th of June. The day consisted of different musical performances of, among others, the Orchestra of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. A photo exhibition was presented by EVS volunteers showing the lives and contributions of refugees before and after reaching the Moldovan life.

Another exhibition was reflecting many celebrity refugees who after having left their country of origin made their valuable contributions to the hosting society. Furthermore there were different performances by refugees and refugee children with traditional dances, poetry and music, wearing colorful traditional clothes. The day was led by various speeches underlining the important contributions made by refugees’ everyday while also highlighting the importance of continued support for refugees in their fight for a decent life.

Refugees’ traditions presented at the Global Village

On Saturday 20 February 2016, at Shopping MallDova, the Charity Centre for Refugees participated in "Global Village"- an AIESEC event organized annually in more than 126 countries of the world with the aim of promoting tolerance, free thinking and intercultural communication.

Many young internationals coming from countries such as Mexic, Algeria, Tanzania, Nigeria, Poland etc. presented their countries through traditional songs and dances, food, clothing, and music. In this framework, UNHCR persons of concern from Iraq, Syria, India alongside CCR presented their culture and traditions through dance, food, interviews.

World Refugee Day in the Republic of Moldova 2014

        Every year on 20th of June, more than one hundred countries commemorate World Refugee Day. Thousands of people around the world take time to commiserate with forcibly displaced person, who fled across the border and were torn apart from their families. In the Republic of Moldova, this important Day has been commemorated since 2001, when Moldova acceded to the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and assumed the commitment to protect people, who were forced to leave their homes. On this occasion, UNHCR Moldova and its NGO implementing partners, together with the Bureau for Migration and Asylum put all their efforts to arrange a memorable day for PoCs and raise awareness about the growing number of refugees in Moldova and all over the world.

        World Refugee Day and commemoration of Convention took place on 19th of June 2014 at the Temporary Accommodation Centre and on 20th of June 2014 in the Stefan Cel Mare Central Park of Chisinau.  BMA and UNHCR Moldova together with its implementing partners organised a wide variety of activities under the slogan “A family torn apart by war is too many”. Visitors could read stories of the refugees in Moldova from the exhibition of photos. There was a possibility to play a table game called ‘Refugee Journey’ – the long journey of a refugee towards a safe place. Besides that, members of the public could enjoy tasting oriental
food: Uzbek pilaf and dessert ‘ChakChak’, Syrian round shaped cakes with meat ‘kebe’ and dessert ‘akras bi ajwe’, Shaorma etc. The dishes were prepared by refugees themselves.

Europe Day in Chisinau and Comrat – 10th and 17th May 2014

    On the 10th and 17th May 2014, in the framework of the EU-funded project, Quality Initiative in Eastern Europe and South Caucasus (QIEE) the Charity Centre for Refugees (CCR) and refugee community took part in Europe Day celebrations in the centre of Chisinau and Comrat, alongside its supporting organisation UNHCR Moldova. Europe Day is a European Union-led celebration of peace and unity, taking place on the 9th May each year.  It is celebrated across many countries in the European Union and its neighbours, raising awareness of the diversity of different European cultural highlights.

     Moldovan authorities and the Delegation of the European Union to Chisinau organised a ‘European town’ in the Central Square, full of stalls hosted by different European embassies and EU-related projects. Each stall had their own attractions; the British Embassy provided tea, the Spanish served paella and Spanish omelette, and the Belgians hosted a very popular barbecue! There was also a wide range of performances held on the main stage. The event was a great success, with hundreds of people attending and enjoying the spectacle, whilst also learning more about the European Union and its member states. 

    UNHCR hosted its own stall, alongside other UN agencies and international bodies. Visitors to the stall could collect a wide variety of information about UNHCR, refugees, asylum seekers and ask questions to staff and volunteers. There was also a quiz with questions related to UNHCR’s activities internationally and in Moldova. In addition, visitors could choose to have their names translated into Arabic and written in henna. There was also the opportunity to have different flags of the world face-painted by the European volunteers of CCR from the United Kingdom and Spain. All of these activities were very popular and successful, especially amongst children. There was always a queue of people waiting for their turn! UNHCR stall even received a visit from the Prime Minister of Moldova, Mr. Iurie Leanca, which was a great honour and privilege.

A raising awareness exhibition on the Human Rights day

Each year on 10^th of December, the world celebrates the Human Rights day. In the Republic of Moldova, this day is also celebrated through diverse events, the biggest of them all being the UN Human Rights Gala. The latter supposes an awarding ceremony in which different personalities are rewarded for their work in defending the human rights in Moldova and who can be considered role models in this domain.

Broadcast live by the public TV Moldova 1, Radio Moldova and Radio Moldova Youth, the UN Human Rights Gala of Awards brought together high officials, representatives of international organizations and diplomatic corps, civil society organizations and mass media.

Just as in previous years. CCR, as the UNHCR Implementing partner, joined in the celebration of this event by setting an exhibition of various posters and artwork.
This kind of exhibitions is very important for the Charity Centre for Refugees (CCR) and UNHCR, because they offer a great opportunity to raise the awareness of different categories of persons concerning the potential and benefits of getting the refugees and asylum seekers integrated into the Moldovan society.  This time, the CCR director, Mr. Paknehad Ahmad Djavid, had the opportunity to speak and lobby the interests of our persons of concern with the UN Resident Coordinator in the Republic of Moldova, Ms. Nicola Harrington, the President of the Moldova Parliament, Mr. Igor Corman, the current Minister of Culture, Mrs. Monica Babuc, and many others. In fact, with the latter state body, CCR is actively collaborating in order to show the refugees and asylum seekers a bit of the history and culture of their host country.

CCR will continue setting exhibitions within the UN Human Rights Gala event, since raising awareness and lobby are two very efficient ways to create a fair society where everyone, including refugees and asylum seekers, will be able to live in peace and understanding.