Bridging the gap with World Refugee Day this coming Tuesday
Since 2015, the word “refugee” has carried more and more weight in society because of the Syrian refugee crisis. With this word comes a multitude of political opinions, and oftentimes, arguments ensue.
Whatever your opinion on refugees and immigrants, the majority of people can agree that safety, shelter, food, and hope are necessities of life. World Refugee Day, to be celebrated June 20th, honors the people that have courageously searched for those exact same things beyond the pestilence, persecution, and violence of their various homelands.
One of the main sponsors of this event is Bridge Refugee Services, a nonprofit that facilitates refugee settlement in Chattanooga. Bridge Refugee Services has played an extremely integral part in settling refugees in affordable housing, assisting in language acquisition, and providing self-sufficiency through job opportunities.
World Refugee Day will be celebrated at the Camp House by engaging in some refugees’ personal stories and journeys, live music, food from a variety of cultures prepared by past and present Bridge clients, and even an art station for any children who attend.
This gathering will not only be a celebration of the refugees’ past journeys but also a celebration of the beacon of hope that Chattanooga can become for asylum seekers in the future.