LOC17:37
14:37 GMT
GENEVA, June 20 (KUNA) -- The United Nations high commission for refugees (UNHCR) on Thursday celebrated the occasion of World Refugee Day 2019, thanking mayors of cities across 50 countries for supporting families and refugees forced to flee.
In a statement UNHCR issued on this occasion, it said it signed an initiative with 175 cities where town, local authorities and municipalities play a central role in supporting and welcoming refugees and other displaced people.
They offer safety and shelter and can enable access to local services, education and job opportunities, the statement said.
A Global Trends report, issued Wednesday, showed that the number of people displaced by war, conflict, persecution, forced displacement and xenophobia has doubled in the past 20 years.
As a result, countries including France, Uruguay, Pakistan, Romania, Canada, and the USA appealed to some local mayors and authorities around the world to join their efforts to welcome and include refugees in their communities.
"Cities are at the forefront of pioneering new approaches in terms of receiving, including and offering opportunities to refugees," UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said.
"I have great admiration for those mayors, for those local authorities and the people of those cities that are standing in favor of solidarity. We look to them to uphold these values and continue this important work," he added.
At the global level, the UN Global Compact on Refugees, which aims to implement a more holistic approach to managing refugee crises, recognizes the important role played by local authorities as first responders to large-scale refugee situations.
UNHCR is planning to hold the first ever Global Refugee Forum in December 2019.It will provide an opportunity to catalyse innovative partnerships across sectors and for all relevant actors - Governments, civil society, private sector, international organizations, and others - to make a real difference in the lives of refugees and of their host communities. (end)
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