UNHCR urges respect for refugees on 50th anniversary

Marking its 50th anniversary, the United Nations refugee agency official On Thursday declared that while its longevity was nothing to celebrate, the courage and contributions of the world's millions of refugees deserved everyone's respect.

"UNHCR's 50th anniversary is, in itself, no cause for celebration," said High Commissioner Sadako Ogata, whose 10-year term ends on 31 December. "In fact, our longevity is a reflection of the international community's failure to prevent prejudice, persecution, poverty and other causes of conflict and displacement."

Speaking at a news conference in Geneva, Ms. Ogata said the agency was marking its anniversary by highlighting the courage and contributions of millions of refugees around the world. "Refugees come from every walk of life - teachers and truck drivers, farmers and physicists, labourers and lawyers," she said. "They deserve our respect for overcoming all odds to survive and begin their lives anew."

At UN Headquarters in New York, the agency marked the anniversary with the opening of an exhibition titled "Respect Refugees," during which a message from Secretary-General Kofi Annan was read by his Chef de Cabinet, S. Iqbal Riza. "This exhibition reminds us not only about the hardships refugees survive, but just as important, about the contributions they can bring to the communities where they seek refuge," the statement said.

Annan also paid tribute to the staff of UNHCR. "Without the men and women of UNHCR, tens of millions of refugees and displaced people worldwide would be far worse off - and any of us could have been one of them."

Over the next six months, UNHCR supporters will mark the agency's 50 years of work through a series of events focused on promoting respect for refugees. Today, the agency launched a global public awareness campaign featuring several former prominent refugees in print and television spots. A series of print ads featuring famous and lesser-known but successful refugees will run parallel with the TV spot.

The anniversary events will culminate in a sound and light show at the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor next June 20 - designated by the UN General Assembly as the first World Refugee Day.

With more than 5,000 employees in some 120 countries, UNHCR currently cares for 22.3 million refugees and displaced in some of the most difficult and dangerous places on earth. It has twice won the Nobel Peace Prize for its efforts on behalf of the displaced.