Dear Friends,
Celebrate World Refugee Day
and welcome our newest Texans to Austin
on Saturday, June 20
from 1-5 pm
at The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum!
This event is FREE, open to the public, and will offer a wide variety of activities for the whole family.
This year’s World Refugee Day will feature: Sara Hickman, WinoVino, El Tule, a Refugee Fashion Show,
a naturalization ceremony, and performances by refugee musicians and dancers from Burma, Iran,
Ghana, Burundi and beyond!
Free refreshments will be provided courtesy of Catering by Rosemary.
Currently, 10 million refugees around the world are under the protection of UNHCR. Less than 1% will be
fortunate enough to be resettled in one of the 10 or 12 countries that have a formal refugee resettlement
program. For this year alone, the US is planning to accept and resettle a total of 75,000 refugees. In Austin
alone, we expect to resettle at least 600 refugees — families from Iraq, Burma, Bhutan, Cuba, Iran,
Afghanistan, Nepal, Somalia, Ethiopia, the Congo, and Burundi.
Refugees living in Austin are legal, international refugees brought to the United States
by the Department of State because they have been persecuted in their home countries.
The US government only provides for short term assistance — all refugees are expected to
be self-sufficient within 2 to 4 months of arrival regardless of their level of education, English
speaking capabilities and exposure to western society.
Refugees can apply for their permanent residency one year after arrival and are eligible
to become citizens as soon as five years after that. To celebrate this transition, a naturalization
ceremony will be taking place during the World Refugee Day for refugees who are becoming U.S. citizens!
Please join AAIM, The Bob Bullock State History Museum, Caritas of Austin, Catering By Rosemary, I
ranian Christians International, Multicultural Refugee Coalition, Center for Survivors of Torture,
and Refugee Services of Texas as we honor the unique journeys of refugees living in Austin.
See you this Saturday, June 20th!
Love,
Sara
AAIM Board Member
and
Lu Zeidan
AAIM Refugee School Coordinator
512.386.9145 ext 12
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)