On Sunday, the 20th of June, the World Refugee Day is celebrated across the globe. It is a day of solidarity with those who have been displaced from their homes because of war, persecution or natural disasters. Today they include around 10 million refugees and more than 27 million internally displaced people (IDPs) seeking sanctuary within their own countries. The European Commission has made a firm commitment to help and protect people who have lost their homes wherever they may be.

The theme of this year’s World Day is ”Home”, a word which at its core, expresses a basic human need for comfort and safety. A few months ago many Europeans found themselves in a very unfortunate situation. They were stranded in foreign countries, unable to return to their homes and families, as the ash of the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull spread over European skies, bringing air traffic over large parts of the continent to a complete halt (see my previous entry Grounded). The situation cannot be compared in any way to the hardships experienced by refugees. But perhaps it made many travellers closer to the feelings of fear, despair and longing for home that the millions of refugees around the world have to endure, sometimes for years on end. Read the full entry

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