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.

INVITAŢIE

Cu prilejul marcării Zilei Mondiale a Refugiatului,

eveniment de informare a publicului cu participarea comunităţii refugiaţilor

CINE: Biroul Înaltului Comisariat al Naţiunilor Unite pentru Refugiaţi (UNHCR) împreună cu Biroul Migraţie şi Azil, Direcţia Refugiaţi şi partenerii săi de implementare Centrul de Drept al Avocaţilor, Centrul de Caritate pentru Refugiaţi; Asociaţia pentru Abilitarea Copilului şi Familiei ”AVE Copiii”.

CE: Evenimentul va include recital al orchestrei model al Ministerului Afacerilor Interne, prezentări ale copiilor refugiaţi, activităţi sportive pentru copii, expoziţii de lucrări realizate de refugiaţi şi multe alte activităţi interesante pentru a vă bucura din plin de eveniment. La eveniment vor fi prezenţi reprezentanţi ai comunităţii refugiaţilor, reprezentanţi ai guvernului, membrii corpului diplomatic, mass-media, agenţiile ONU şi societatea civilă.

UNDE: municipiul Chișinău, Parcul Valea Morilor, în apropiere de scările principale.

CÂND: Sîmbătă, 18 iunie 2016, ora 12.00 – 16:00

IMPORTANT: Ziua Mondială a Refugiatului (ZMR) a fost marcată pentru prima dată în 2001. Zeci de mii de oameni din întreaga lume au avut nevoie de timp ca să recunoască şi să aprecieze contribuţia persoanelor forţate să fugă pentru a-şi salva viaţa. ZMR este marcată anual printr-o varietate de evenimente în peste 100 de ţări, implicând oficiali guvernamentali, celebrităţi, civili şi însăşi persoanele strămutate.

În societatea în care trăim sunt mai multe persoane strămutate forţat din cauza conflictelor decât în orice periodă după cel de-al doilea război mondial. Acest număr fără precedent a condus UNHCR şi partenerii săi la limite, dar, din păcate, situaţia continuă să se intensifice. De aceea, ne propunem să creem o empatie publică faţă de refugiaţi şi faţă de munca noastră de a-i proteja pe cei mai vulnerabili.

Mesajul principal al campaniei #SUNTEM ALĂTURI DE REFUGIAȚI este că refugiaţii sunt oameni la fel ca noi, care au fost forţaţi să fugă pentru a-şi salva viaţa.

http://www.unhcr.org/refugeeday/

Agenda evenimentului este anexată.

Pentru informaţii suplimentare, contactaţi Biroul UNHCR în Republica Moldova

tel: +373 22 270 865, mdach@unhcr.org

Practical exercise in Ungheni

10 December 2015 a practical exercise took place in Ungheni to check the efficiency of Border Police representatives in case of a migrant, refugee immigration crisis. The simulation aimed to improve the professional skills, both theoretical and practical, in circumstances of a similar situation as the one faced by Europe in the recent months regarding the issue of migrants.

In the exercise were involved border guards, representatives of Civil Protection and Emergencies, the special National Army battalion "Fulger", the Bureau for Migration and Asylum, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Law Center of Advocates, the Charity Centre for Refugees and the Association “Ave Copiii”.

19th Winter Charity Bazaar

Sunday, 6 December took place an exclusive Christmas exhibition of handicrafts, souvenirs, traditional food, drinks, sweets and many other culinary goods within the 19th Winter Charity Bazaar organised by the International Women’s Club in Moldova.

The stalls of over 40 diplomatic missions attracted buyers with a variety of products that have not left anyone indifferent. Alongside the international representatives, Charity Centre for Refugees (CCR) also participated in the event as an implementing partner of UNHCR Moldova. The staff, EVS volunteers and some refugees helped to sell art crafts (Christmas cards, notebooks, trees, toys, etc.) handmade by refugees/asylum seekers all along the year in order to raise money for local charities.

FARE ACTION WEEK for union and diversity at CCR

On Saturday 17^th October 2015 the Charity Center for Refugees in collaboration with FARE Network (Football Against Racism in Europe), UNHCR Moldova and Football Association in Moldova organized a football tournament with the intent to send a strong signal against racism and xenophobia through sport.

In the late morning participants of the day arrived at CCR's office to take part in the round table. Refugees, asylum seekers, EVS volunteers and locals entertained a lively debate about the need to live in a multicultural and tolerant society with the representatives of UNHCR, Fatima NGO, European Delegation, the Moldovan Football Federation and CCR.

Closing ceremony of the Summer School

During the summer time, Charity Centre for Refugees (CCR) with the support of UNHCR organised enrichment activities for refugee/asylum seeking children two times per week Tuesday and Thursday. Refugee/asylum seeker children had Arabic lessons, art workshops (masks, paper-flowers, cards, puppet theater, clay animals, etc.), sports games and cinema.

All the efforts made by the children resulted in a feast on 25 August. The children showed the knowledge they learned during Arabic language classes, answering promptly to the brief quiz the

UNHCR visit to Razeni and Mereni

19 August 2015, the Head of UNHCR office in Moldova, Mr. Traian Turcanu accompanied by the Deputy Director of the Bureau for Migration, Mrs. Ecaterina Silvestru and implementing partners paid a visit to Razeni and Mereni villages. It was a familiarization visit for the new Head of UNHCR to meet eight refugee families hosted by Moldavian communities since 2011. The visit was monitored by Charity Centre for Refugees (CCR).

Chisinau celebrates Europe Day

On May 10^th, in Chisinau was organised a colourful event in order to celebrate Europe Day. Several thousands people, Moldavian and international, gathered in the Central Square (Piaţa Marii Adunări Naţionale) and joyfully enjoyed the rich program.

UNHCR Moldova, together with its implementing partners, Charity Centre for Refugees (CCR) and Ave Copiii took part in the event, presenting, along with the other international organizations in Moldova, its activities in helping the refugees and asylum seekers' community.

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.

Family Day – 15th May 2014

  The International Day of Families is celebrated on the 15th May each year. It was introduced by the United Nations in 1993, in order to reflect the importance the international community attaches to families, and promote awareness of issues that affect them.

       This year, the Charity Centre for Refugees (CCR) marked the occasion by inviting refugee families to take part in some of the festivities the city of Chisinau had to offer. Refugee families, staff and European volunteers at CCR joined many other local participants in front of the Maria Biesu National Theatre of Opera and Ballet for a small event commemorating families in Moldova. They enjoyed a performance of traditional Moldovan folk dance, performed enthusiastically (despite the rain!) by some local children. Speeches were also made by minister of Labour, Social Protection and Family, Mrs. Valentina Buliga and a representative of UNFPA Moldova, Mr. Ian McFarlane, showing appreciation for the strength and importance of families within Moldovan culture.  

     

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.

Refugees and local population united by passion for football

A couple of years ago, the Charity Centre for Refugees (CCR), as the UNHCR implementing partner, organized a football competition, within the Grant programme for Football Against Racism in Europe (FARE). The mentioned competition was very important at that time, since it was aiming at building respect of 2 local communities, Mereni and Razeni villages, towards refugees and asylum seekers who were about to move in there to social houses, refurbished under the Local Integration Programme. In order for this innovative plan to be successful, UNHCR and CCR had to prepare the field and create a more welcoming environment for the beneficiaries, thus facilitating their integration in the rural areas.

This year, another NGO – Fatima organized, through the same Grant Programme, a similar football competition, in which 4 teams of children and 3 teams of adults gladly participated. CCR team was one of them, bringing together the best football players within our group of beneficiaries.  The competition was stiff, but our team managed to take the second prize.

This kind of sport competitions will always be supported by CCR, as they are helping build a common ground for people of different ethnicities, religions, skin colors, but with the same passion for sport. We believe that sport is the most valuable common language in a multicultural environment, as it forges the team spirit of the players and allows the people to interact while enjoying themselves. 

Women Group Initiative Meeting in Mereni village

The Charity Centre for Refugees (CCR), in the framework of Local Integration Program, implemented in Belarus, Ukraine and Moldova, organizes different events in Chisinau and outside the capital, fostering communication and cultural exchange between refugee community and local population. Part of these events is specifically dedicated to women refugees, because for them the refugee situation, hard as it is for men, is even harder for women. They are more likely to get isolated, so therefore the importance of integration program is even bigger for women. The CCR always made an effort to keep a group of refugee women active under the Women Group Initiative. In the past, they organized activities like a sushi evening, informal discussions, and many other.

Local and refugee children - together for peace

Charity Center for Refugees (CCR) organized an awareness event in the primary school of Mereni village on the 26th of April. In Mereni live four refugee families from Syria, Sudan and Armenia, whose children are attending the primary school. The event was moderated by Mrs. Veronica Chirita, the teacher of one of the refugee children. It was attended by approx. 70 pupils studying in the 2nd grade, Ms. Margareta Ursu representing the Moldavian Ministry of Culture, the deputy Mayor of Mereni village, Mrs. Aurelia Roşca, together with the school’s director, Mrs. Alexandra Cerî, other teachers of the school and members of the school staff, and also the refugees as parents of the children studying in Mereni.