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World Refugee Day Resolution

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World Refugee Day Resolution RESOLUTION By Johnson Recognizing June 20 as World Refugee Day, a day to honor the strength, courage and perseverance of refugees and other displaced persons who have made Minneapolis their home. Whereas, the State of Minnesota has accepted more refugees per capita than any other state in the United States of America; and Whereas, a refugee is someone who has experienced or who is at risk of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group; and Whereas, the United Nations has designated June 20 as World Refugee Day, a global day to acknowledge the courage, strength, and determination of women, men, and children who are forced to flee their homes due to conflict, violence, and persecution; and Whereas, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees: (1) there are more than 70 million displaced people worldwide, the worst displacement crisis in global history, including over 22 million refugees, over 40 million internally displaced people, and over 2 million people seeking asylum; (2) children under the age of 18 account for over half of the refugee population in the world, millions of whom are unable to access basic services, including education; and (3) on average, 20 people are displaced from their homes every minute; and Whereas, 84 percent of the world’s refugees are hosted in developing regions, with more than a quarter in the world’s least developed countries; and Whereas, refugees who are women and children are often at greater risk of violence, human trafficking, exploitation, and gender-based violence; and Whereas, the United States government has resettled refugees in our community, and has granted asylum to thousands of refugees from around the world who now call our country home; and Whereas, in the last fiscal year, the United States has accepted less than 23,000 refugees, with a refugee cap of 30,000 individuals; and Whereas, refugees make critical contributions to the economic growth and cultural and spiritual diversity of our community; Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved by The City Council of The City of Minneapolis: That the City of Minneapolis hereby reaffirms its commitment to promote the safety, health, and well- being of immigrants who are refugees and internally displaced persons who flee war, persecution, or torture in search of peace, hope, and freedom. Be It Further Resolved that the City recognizes those who have risked their lives, working either individually or for nongovernmental organizations and international agencies such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, to provide life-saving assistance and help protect those displaced by conflict around the world; Be It Further Resolved that the City calls upon the United States Government: 1. to cease measures against sovereign states in Africa, Asia and Latin America which create or exacerbate displacement and refugee crises in those regions; and 2. to recommit to an international leadership role in responding to displacement crises with humanitarian assistance and protection of the most vulnerable populations who endure sexual violence, human trafficking, forced conscription, genocide, exploitation and other forms of persecution; and 3. to immediately increase the cap on refugee resettlement to the United States to at least 100,000 individuals; and 4. to work in partnership with the international community to find solutions to existing international conflicts and prevent new conflicts from beginning; and 5. to recommit to support the efforts of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and to advance the work of nongovernmental organizations to protect refugees regardless of their country of origin, religious or political beliefs including by ensuring that refugees and other displaced persons in the United States are accepted; and 6. to mitigate, through genuine humanitarian and developmental support, the burden placed on frontline refugee host countries that absorb the majority of the world’s refugees; and Be It Further Resolved that the City affirms the goals of World Refugee Day and commits to ensuring that refugees and other displaced persons who have experienced lives without material, social, or legal protections find those protections in the City of Minneapolis. .
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