A Zimbabwe: Traditional dance by DRC refugee girls in Tongogara refugee camp: ©UNHCR/G. Nhamo

F Angola Liberia Benin Malawi Burkina Faso Mozambique Burundi Niger Cameroon Nigeria Central African Republic Rwanda R Chad Sierra Leone Côte d’Ivoire South Africa Djibouti Sudan Eritrea Swaziland Ethiopia Tanzania, United Republic of Gabon Togo I Ghana Uganda Guinea Zambia Kenya Zimbabwe C A

Sierra Leone: UNHCR volleyball team: ©UNHCR/R. Goldstein-Rodriguez

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ANGOLA

The official WRD ceremony was carried out in Caxito Municipality in the Bengo Province which was presided over by the Governor of the Province. Government officials, diplomats, NGO staff, mem- bers of civil society, UN officials and journalists were all present. There were several painting and crafts exhibitions displayed and during the cere- mony, the High Commissioner’s message for WRD was read out. Moreover, A group of female refu- gees called “La Patience” presented a fashion show, a group of young refugees performed a col- ourful dance number and a youth theatre group staged a play under the theme of “Courage”. A

AFRICA AFRICA Local dancing : ©UNHCR/Angola cocktail party closed the ceremony. Other provincial activities included an award ceremony for the best performing returnee students, a radio debate in Malange province under the theme of “Courage and Repatriation” and a football match between a group of returnees and a team of police officers in Uige province. Coverage of these activities was well publicised in the national press.

A two-hour television debate on national TV program “Janela Aberta” (Open Window) sensitized the public on refugee/returnee issues, with particular focus on the ongoing voluntary repatriation opera- tion of the Angolan refugees.

Radio Ecclesia dedicated a one-hour program on the issue of refugees and some of the radio inter- views were repeated throughout the week. BENIN From 17 to 20 June several celebrations took place to commemorate WRD. There were cul- tural and sport activities in Comé, Lokossa, Agamé and Kpomassé. Amnesty International- Benin along with UNHCR co-organized an eve- ning event of solidarity with a conference on “The International Protection of Refugees” in Cotonou. Small fairs, drawing contests, a race and a tree-planting activity were also in the pro- gramme.

Sponsors provided UNHCR with sports equip- ments as well as prizes for the winners of differ- ent competitions and contests. Market fair in Cotonou: ©UNHCR/Sté Azanik Photo-Video

It is worth mentioning the courage displayed by the newly arrived Togolese refugees, who joined the celebrations showing great creativity despite their conditions and the scarce resources available.

The High Commissioner’s message was broadcast on national TV on 20 June and published in at least three newspapers. Other members of the media covered WRD activities with some 14 press articles and as many TV reports. “Courage” posters and WRD banners were placed at the reception centers. UNHCR published a compilation of testimonies of refugees. The Regional Office in Benin also covers Burkina Faso, Niger and Togo. BURKINA FASO The Cabinet Director of the Foreign Affairs and Regional Co-operation Ministry presided over the official ceremony held on WRD. Among the guests were authorities from the Ministry, implement- ing partners (CREDO-CONASREF), refugees and the general public.

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The opening WRD activity was a debate with refugee testimonies. On the same day, a football match was organized between one refugee team and another team which combined Ministry of For- eign Affairs and implementing partners’ staff.

Besides those activities, refugee-made food and commodities were exhibited at a fair. Goods that were for sale included sewing products, woodworks, paintings as well as food. Exhibitors and the public engaged in positive personal and commercial relationships.

Some 1,500 people took part in all the various activities and in total, 13 pieces of news were ac- counted for between 17 and 24 June. The audience reached with the media coverage is estimated to be 30,000 people. Burkina Faso is covered by the Regional Office in Benin.

BURUNDI The Minister of Interior was the guest of honour at the opening ceremony which consisted of a pic- ture and drawing exhibition at the French Cultural Center in Bujumbura. The cere- mony was attended by most heads of

NGOs, Ambassadors and Governmental AFRICA authorities. The pictures, by Corbis photog- rapher Jehad Nga, were taken during a re- patriation operation from Tanzania and in a Congolese refugee camp. The drawings by Congolese children living in the refugee camps portrayed what it means to be a refu- gee (with disturbing references to violence). The two-week exhibition received many visi- tors and was reported on by several radio Rentrer chez soi: ©UNHCR/Jehad Nga/Corbis Sygma stations.

“Courage” radio and TV spots were broadcast three times a day for three days by three radio sta- tions and the National TV. UNHCR representative in Burundi gave several interviews to the media. Sports and cultural celebrations marked WRD at the two Burundian refugee camps. These activi- ties were covered by radio Isanganiro. Lastly, a university teacher gave a conference at the French Cultural Center on refugee issues in Burundi. CAMEROON The Town Hall square in Douala was the chosen stage for the official ceremony to mark WRD this year. Douala is the main entry city to Cameroon, and hosts a strong community of refugees and asy- lum seekers. The ceremony was presided over by the Delegate Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to a gathering of over 1000 refugees, locals and representatives of the administrative authori- ties and the Secretary General and High Commissioner’s messages on WRD were read out at the ceremony. A fair with arts and crafts made by refugees, and a festival with dances and games fol- lowed. 17 entities from the National and international media were present at the ceremony. On 19 June, a football match between a refugee team and one of the local TV Antenne 2 took place at the Collège de Liebermann in Douala. CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC Several initiatives focusing on urban refugees from diverse nationalities were organized in Ban- gui for 10 days. The capital hosted a football match between a team of refugees and UN agency staff. It also held a celebration with tradi- tional dances, exhibit and sale of refugee made products (arts, sewing, and cakes) and AIDS related recitations. This ceremony was at- tended by government, diplomatic missions and international organisations’ representatives and the general public. Traditional dancing at WRD Celebrations: ©UNHCR/Central African Republic

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A WRD public awareness campaign was carried out with the broadcast of the UNHCR film “Young African Refugees: Building the Future” on National Television, as well as a couple of debates with the participation of refugees, UNHCR and CNR representatives on UN radio Ndeke Luka. The press conference gathered journalists from national and private medias. Banners with refugee slogans in French and the national language were put up in Bangui. CHAD Open-door activities were held at the hall of the French Cultural Center for a week, gathering 200 people each day. The events included a drama play and a debate organized by UNHCR, UN agen- cies, NGOs, journalists and refugees. These activities received radio and TV attention resulting in several reports. It was noted that many visitors were impressed by a model replica of a refugee camp which was present at the French Cultural Center.

Some 2,000 WRD leaflets in Arabic and French were distributed with the primary goal of raising pub- lic awareness on the problems refugees face in Chad and to enhance better understanding of the work of UNHCR. The High Commissioner’s WRD message was broadcast on national TV and radio AFRICA AFRICA for 3 days from 19 to 21 June). CÔTE D’IVOIRE UNHCR representatives where at the official cere- mony held in Abidjan for WRD. The presence of the State Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs reaf- firmed the commitment of the government towards an increased security of refugees. Paintings as well as hand crafts made by refugees were exhib- ited for sale in Abid- jan and Tabou on 20 June. 1,000 people turned up in total to visit the fairs. Dancing by young refugees: ©UNHCR/N. Sabarthes

Tabou and Guiglo hosted sport activities and festivals with artis- tic performances from refugee and local groups. The participation of artist Ismaël Isaac deserves a special mention as his perform- ance was greatly appreciated by the public. Some 2,000 people attended the festivals.

The UN radio broadcast the “Courage” spots for a fortnight, up to 20 June. This radio has an estimated audience of 2 million. In addition, National TV channel broadcast “Global View” on WRD, Paintings and hand crafts exhibited for with an estimated audience of 5 million. Ten media reported the sale in Abidjan and Tabou: ©UNHCR/Côte d’Ivoire events. DJIBOUTI Everybody contributed towards the WRD celebrations at Holl Holl and Ali Adde camps. Firstly, UNHCR and its partner for Social Service, APEF, helped the refugee youth in setting up the activities. Furthermore, female refugees decorated the reception site with flowers, mili- tary forces provided logistics and workforces, football matches were pre-arranged between young refugees in both camps, a semi-marathon for the female and male youth took place and others organized songs and sketches that dealt with repatriation, AIDS and the WRD theme “Courage”. The UNHCR representative and the representative of the National Office for the As- sistance of Refugees and Disaster Victims (ONARS) HCR staff giving certificate & prize to refugee most active & addressed the audience. helpful in the community: ©UNHCR/J.A. Hepps

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It was a peaceful and joyful occasion and as such it has been commended by the refugee commu- nity, the local population, representatives of the UN agencies (PNUD, UNESCO, PAM), national or- ganizations (ONARS, APEF) and NGOs (AMDA).

ERITREA

WRD celebrations in Elit refugee camp in the heart of Eritrea’s repatriation/returnee area included a small drama prepared by UNHCR public health advisor, UNICEF HIV/AIDS focal person and refu- gees, about the alcohol impact on the risk of HIV/AIDS and STDs. A contest on general knowledge on HIV/AIDS was held among refugee women and men. The UNHCR sub–office Barentu and field office Tesseney organized volleyball and basketball tournaments for refugees in Elit camp and the youth of Tesseney. The Governor of Gash Barka Zoba and various officials were among the 6,000 who attended.

Traditional songs and dances were performed by refugees in Emkulu camp in addition to the staging of dramas on HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention and on the negative aspect of female genital mutilation. AFRICA These activities were organized by UNICEF and NUEYS.

In both camps, UNICEF made a display of nutritional food plants that can increase or maintain the immunity level of any individual - particularly people with HIV/AIDS. The display attracted many inter- ested refugees and guests. The number of participants in WRD cele- brations in both camps was over Celebrations at refugee camps included dance performances: 5,200. ©UNHCR/A. Woldentensae

A formal reception and dinner in Asmara was attended by Eritrean government officials, the diplo- matic corps, other UN organization and NGO representatives. The evening included a video screen- ing and official speeches.

Smaller initiatives took place at the Haz Haz transit camp near Asmara, attended by guests from the Department of Immigration & Nationality (DIN), with speeches and sharing of food.

ETHIOPIA

A grand WRD commemoration was held at the African Union (AU) compound which was attended by AU and Government of Ethiopia officials, representatives of UNHCR, other UN agencies, partner NGOs, religious institutions and members of the diplomatic community in Addis Ababa, among oth- ers. Participants were addressed by representatives of AU, Government of Ethiopia and UNHCR. The presence by H.H. Abune Paulos Patriarch of Ethiopian Orthodox Church, who was the winner of the Nansen Refugee Award for 2000 attracted a lot of media attention. Courage testimonies were given by H.H. Abune Paulos, a survivor of the Rwandan genocide and a Sudanese refugee from Bonga camp in Ethiopia. The screening of a short video on UNHCR’s recent activities in Darfur and the performance of an urban refugee children’s choir closed the first part of the celebrations. Exhi- bitions on pictures and art as well as a ‘refugees crafts market’ were organized. A cocktail fol- lowed the performance of a refugee band from Belgium which put the note of solidarity between all groups present.

All the seven camps in the country marked the day with cultural activities, sports competitions and more, involving refugees and host communities. Those camps sheltering Sudanese refugees focused their WRD messages on repatriation in view of the envisaged voluntary return.

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Sherkole refugee camp, home to 16,000 Suda- nese refugees hosted WRD celebrations which were attended for the first time by a delegation of high-level AU, UNHCR and Governmental repre- sentatives from Addis Refugees playing fun game trying to break hanging pieces of clay pot while blindfolded: Ababa. Thousands of ©UNHCR/G. Egziabher refugees commemorated the day with various cultural activities and musical performances, sports shows, fun games, and photo and art exhibitions.

The day’s messages centered on the need for psychological and other preparations for the foresee- able trip back home to southern Sudan. AFRICA AFRICA

The Italian Cultural institute in Addis Ababa housed the screening of the BBC documentary on Dar- fur ‘Living with Refugees’ by renowned journalist Sorious Samura. It was opened by the Italian Am- bassador himself and was followed by a panel discussion with UNHCR, the Ambassador of Gambia to Ethiopia and the Country Director for Sudan of African Humanitarian Action.

Urban refugees also had their WRD celebration. This was co-organized at the Patriarchate Hall of the Ethiopian Or- thodox Church (EOC) by UNHCR implementing partner DICAC. Chaired by H.H. Abune Paulos, the celebration was embellished with hymns and was attended by UNHCR representative and officials from the Government of Ethio- pia and the US Embassy in Addis Ababa. An award- giving cere- Hymns sung at Patriarchate Hall of the Ethiopian mony was held Orthodox Church: ©UNHCR/Ethiopia to members of the urban refugees who excelled in di- verse areas of endeavor. The ‘Courage Award’, including a $250 cash prize was given to 19-year-old Rapan Sadik, a Sudanese refugee from Bonga camp and a technical genius who innovated a number of electronic gadgets The ‘Courage Award’ was given to Rapan Sadik for his innovation of electrical gadgets: from used and discarded materials. The money would go ©UNHCR/Ethiopia to financing his ongoing projects, in particular a solar en- ergy generating device which intends to benefit the refugee community.

Among other WRD initiatives carried out was a special interview given to the national TV (English programme) by the UNHCR representative which was transmitted on 17 June. A celebration for ur- ban refugees was organized by Jesuit Refugee Service with narration of courage story by a refugee, children’s songs, talent show, cultural performances, award-giving ceremony and a photo ex- hibition. WRD received huge media coverage with an estimated value of USD 28,100 and 33 media reports. The Ethiopian Herald, the biggest, oldest and most influential English daily, carried a front page news story on 15 June which extracted from the WRD messages of the High Commissioner and the AU Commission Chairperson. GABON The UNHCR office produced a short documentary about a single-parent refugee woman’s day in a rural environment. It epitomized the courage of someone determined to keep going despite suffering the war and losing her husband. It was broadcast by the first national channel on the evening of 19 June.

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Many refugees and implementing partners’ staff partici- pated in the preparation of WRD. The main ceremony took place in a gymnasium in Libreville. Among the guests were the Ambassadors from Democratic Repub- lic of Congo and Canada, representatives of UN agen- cies in Gabon (UNAIDS, UNESCO, UNHCR) and gov- ernment representatives. Refugees from various na- tionalities provided hand-made articles for an exhibi- tion and sale fair. Cultural diversity enriched the original poems, songs and dances performed by refugee women and children, celebrating the theme of Refugees from various nationalities provided hand- ‘Courage’. Refugee women presented a food-tasting made articles for an exhibition and sale fair: buffet open to all participants. Gabonese singer ©UNHCR/Gabon Angèle Assélé performed a peace song. Later on the day the “Global View” documentary was screened, and two football matches, one for men, one for women were held.

GHANA WRD events were held throughout the month of June. The highlight was a series of gatherings for five days in the refugee settlements with performances by refugee artists. The last one was an eve- AFRICA ning gala held at the country’s most prestigious hotel, featuring the most famous satirist in the coun- try. It was attended by ambassadors, ministers, members of parliament, journalists, implementing partners, representatives of the diplomatic corps, refugees and the general public. 12-foot banners were produced and displayed in heavy traffic areas of the capital, in refugee settlements, and also other in coastal cities that host refugees

In a country with a literacy rate of 55%, audio visuals are the key to get a message across. Thus, a series of partnerships with radio and TV stations were carried out to secure free air time. As a result, the High Commissioner’s message was broadcast by 3 radio stations, while the WRD Courage spots were given a total of 150 slots by 15 radio stations. Similarly, 46 TV reports and broadcast of WRD courage adverts were accounted for. There were also 10 print reports. .

GUINEA

On 20 June, the Guinea Parliament adopted the Conakry Declaration, in collaboration with UNHCR and the refugee communities in Guinea. During this ceremony, the High Commissioner’s WRD message was showed in the hemicycle. It was attended by 500 people including members of the Parliament and the refugee communities, diplomats, representatives of the donor community, mem- bers of the government, civil society, political parties, national and international NGOs and national and international medias. The event benefited from a large coverage by the media.

Cultural activities took place in Cona- kry, N’zerekore and Kissidougou which received good media coverage. Drama performances and sport competitions were organized to sensitize the refugee and local population on various subjects, including repatriation. In the field, the activities were organized in the refugee camps while, in Conakry, it took place at the Bureau National de Coordination des Réfugiés, the government counterpart. From 13 to 20 June, more than 20 arti- cles were issued by public and private newspapers, while the events were largely covered by the TV and radio broadcasting systems, as well as the UNHCR representative and refugees after the session: international medias. It is estimated that ©UNHCR/Fatoumata Diariou Tounkara about a million people were reached with this extensive media coverage. - 34 -

KENYA The most important event was a cartoon exhibition in partnership with the Association of East Afri- can Cartoonists (KATUNI) at the Go Down Art Center, Nairobi. It depicted contributions from Kenyan leading cartoonists who visited Kakuma and Dadaab refugee camps. The idea behind the exhibit was to use cartoons to educate the general public on the plight of refugees. The theme of the exhibit was taken form a Swahili saying which regards a long-tem visitor as a member of the community who is expected to contribute positively to the society. After the fortnight display in Nairobi, the exhibit toured other towns and refugee camps in Kenya.

A panel discussion on the theme “Refugee

AFRICA AFRICA Courage” was held on 14 June with the par- ticipation of the Minister of Immigration, Reg- Cartoon exhibit held at Go Down Art Centre in Nairobi; used to istration of Persons and Refugee Affairs and educate public about plight of refugees: ©UNHCR/Kenya a Parliamentarian and former prominent refu- gee. Other participants included the UNHCR representative, government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, civil society, the media and refugees. It culminated on the Cartoon Exhibition launch.

Celebrations in the camps of the Dadaab and kaluma areas included stimulating, colorful and mean- ingful presentations of traditional folk dances from multi-national and multi-cultural refugee groups, recitation of poems, puppetry, song, speeches, screening of documentaries and football com- petitions. In Kakuma alone, more than 5,000 persons took part and trophies and prizes were awarded to meritorious students.

Several other WRD initiatives were held in the country: A thanksgiving service in Dagoretti followed by a cultural soiree; The Africa Refu- gee Talent Workshop which brought together talented refugees from seven African countries for an art exhibition to showcase their rich cul- tural heritage; and a WRD commemoration with Refugee Consortiums of Kenya with the climax being a soccer match attended by thousands of refugees.

All the above mentioned activities were reported Burundian dancers prepare to perform during the 27 times in press and electronic medias. commemoration of WRD in Nairobi: ©UNHCR/J. Adongo LIBERIA “Building up a new life” was the theme of a public debate on reintegration held at the University of Liberia in Monrovia. UNHCR wanted to address all the people concerned in Liberia: IDPs, returnees, refugees and local community. The panel of the debate integrated representatives of Children’ s Par- liament, UNICEF, government counterpart in Liberia (LRRRC) and a returnee and the advisor for UNMIL/Gender and SGBV. Among the 300 that attended mainly were university students, thus reaching the young intellectuals. The panel stressed the importance of repatriating Liberian refugees back to their homes. The UNMIL-radio covered the initiative life. Staff at Saclepea field office held an official ceremony to celebrate the handling of over 158 Com- munity Empowerment Projects completed in 2004 and 2005 to the people of Liberia. 2,000 people took part in that ceremony. The rest of the field offices organized parades, sporting and cultural events in their communities with several hundreds of participants. Furthermore three workshops on local reintegration were held in three refugee camps for Sierra Leonean refugees.

A total of 1,150 WRD-T-Shirts were distributed across the country.

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MALAWI Inter-denominational prayers at Dzaleka Refugee camp with the participation of all churches and denominations kicked off the WRD celebrations. The prayers were attended by various officials from the government, UNHCR and many more.

On 21 June the celebrations reached the peak with various performances presided over by the country’s Deputy Commissioner for Refugees. Other dignitaries also attended, among them the High Commissioners from Zambia, Tanzania, South Africa, representatives from the U.S. Embassy, and senior government officers. The programme included traditional dances, plays, poems, acrobat- ics performed by refugees and members of the host community and an entertaining football match between refugees and Lumbadzi police teams. Unfortunately, despite good participation in Dzaleka refugee camp, the refugees in Luwani refugee camp decided to boycott the activities, allegedly for having not received some NFI’s which were distributed to their counterparts in Dzaleka Refugee camp.

Banners depicting this year’s theme were displayed for one week in major cities and towns. 150 WRD T-shirts were distributed to selected refugees for their performance or their involvement in camp life, and also to community leaders. AFRICA This year’s WRD activities benefited from wide media coverage, with four media reporting for a whole week and a newspaper that published the High Commissioner’s WRD statement on 20 June. The UNHCR representative appeared on the national TV Malawi. MOZAMBIQUE WRD was celebrated for a whole weekend with music, sports and dances from the three major refugee communities (Congolese, Burundian and Rwandese). There were also exhibition of arts, crafts and goods. Representatives of the main camp organizations gave speeches and refugees recited poems and performed dramas which were most effective to the objective of emphasizing the importance of peace and reconciliation amongst different tribes. All implementing partners -World Vision, Save the Children or World Relief- were present, as well as some other international visitors. WRD was mentioned in the news that day and some journalists reached the camp to interview gov- ernment officials and UNHCR representatives. A summary of the High Commissioner’s WRD statement and an interview to a UNHCR representative were broadcast on national and international TV. NIGER The “WRD Organization Committee” formed by UNHCR and implementing partners staff and a representative from the National Commission for Eligibility of the Refugee Status (CNE) organized a three day awareness campaign. It included the broadcast of the WRD spot, the WRD messages from the CNE President as well as the High Commissioner of UNHCR, and several interviews to refugees, and implementing partners in radios, TV and press media.

On the eve of WRD, the programme included a conference-debate followed by the distribution of non-food items to refugees and asylum seekers. Also, the Minister of Home Affairs and Decentrali- zation -also President of the CNE- and the President of Caritas-Niger co-hosted a cocktail at Caritas premises. Niger is covered by the Regional Office in Benin.

NIGERIA UNHCR Nigeria celebrated the day with different activities in the three offices, branch office Abuja, sub-office Lagos and field office Jalingo.

Refugees in Nigeria made up of Liberians, Sierra Leoneans, Congolese, Rwandese, Ivorian, and Su- danese are mainly accommodated at the Oru refugee camp in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State. For this year’s celebrations, UNHCR, its partners and the refugee community organized many activities, such as exhibition on art, tie and dye products, drama, dance, cultural displays and a fashion show by refugees, as well as sports, games and presentations by UNHCR and its partners.

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The guest of honor was the Special Advisor to the President on Migrations and Humanitarian Affairs. Other UN agencies’ representatives (UNICEF, WHO, UNFPA), ICRC, local dignitaries from the area of Ijebu Ode, and Ogun State were among the guests of the day. Undoubtedly, the presence of Ms. Eneh Lawani, Miss Nigeria 2004, was the delight of the local population and the media alike.

The fashion show, with models drawn from different communities in the camp and Lagos, depicted designs by leading fashion designer Steve Ray. Miss Nige- ria groomed the models and also read the High Commissioner’s WRD statement. Fashion show with models from the camp and designs by leading AFRICA AFRICA The event was broadcast by Ogun State fashion designer Steve Ray: ©UNHCR/Nigeria Television. The celebration also included a press conference in Abuja on 19 June and a joint UNHCR-UNAIDS workshop on 24 June in Ogun State with the participation of refugee leaders on HIV/AIDS. RWANDA In Kigali, a small but well reported tree-planting ceremony was attended by members of the Gov- ernment of Rwanda, headed by the Minister of State, UNHCR and partners as well as refugees. The ceremony took place at the St. Famille school. The “Festival for Peace” held in the Kiziba camp was co-organized with NGOs Esperance and DED as a pilot peace education project. A march kicked off the day, which was followed by addresses of the UNHCR represen- tative, the President of Esperance and the President of the Committee for Refugees of the Kiziba camp. Later on there was a Football for Peace match, show of games by children, a modern dance choreography and ac- robatics. All guests were invited to dance to the music of the Holly Jah Juggling at the Kiziba Kibuye camp: ©UNHCR/D. Kalala Dove band.

WRD celebrations were kept low key in the last minute by the prevailing deterioration of working rela- tions due to the June crisis with the Governments of Rwanda and Burundi. In order to improve UNHCR’s standing and to get the WRD message across, it was felt sensible to invest in a 2 page informative advert in the national newspaper. SIERRA LEONE UNHCR organized an inter-camps cultural dance competition. The final competition between the best two camps culminated on WRD. Each camp gave its best performance which were outstanding. Costumes were made of shredded WFP food bags in an ingenious way. It was a great opportunity for the refugees to demonstrate their talent and their pride in their culture, and for the Sierra Leonean host community, including government officials, to witness it. Refugees from all eight camps were trucked in to witness a football match. It boosted refugees’ morale to beat the UNHCR staff team for the second consecutive. WRD “Courage” banners were carried along in a march supported by Liberian refugees and Sierra Leonans alike. A band played all along. The formal WRD ceremony was held at Bo Town Hall which gathered 600 people, 400 of whom were refugees, including government officials, locals and UNHCR staff. Cultural dances, skits, music and speeches were in the programme. - 37 -

Twelve press articles reported on the different WRD activities and 4 radios broadcast the WRD spots free of charge. SOUTH AFRICA The overall objective of WRD in South Africa was to ensure that government and civil society are increasingly capable of providing protection and assistance to refugees according to mini- mum international standards. Bearing that in mind, UNHCR and implementing partners in each city planned activities that interpreted “courage” in different ways. On 25 May UNHCR held a debate and established a part- nership with the country's Constitutional Court.

The highlight of WRD events were in Cape Town and Durban. Here activities were planned Rwandan traditional dancers go through their paces: and implemented in partnership with the City’s ©UNHCR/P. Rulashe Mayors’ Offices which are openly committed to including refugees in local development projects. Refugees are included in the local calendars of AFRICA those cities, not as guests in South Africa, but as “honorary” South Africans.

The City of Cape Town and UNHCR’s implementing partner are working on a Refugee Skills Audit programme which seeks to establish the professional qualifications refugees in Cape Town have. For WRD, a leaflet was published with over 90 Curriculum Vitae of refugees seeking employment.

An Acknowledgement Awards ceremony was held in Durban, considered South Africa’s most refu- gee friendly city, to pay tribute to refugees who had made significant contributions to education, health and related fields.

WRD celebrations in Pretoria’s Atteridgeville Township and Johannesburg showcased a definite shift away from xenophobic related sentiments in a country otherwise known for its oftentimes polarized racial divisions.

More than 10 radio stations with nationwide coverage reported on WRD, which, in addition to press and TV coverage, was estimated to be valued USD 527,903. The Regional Office of South Africa also covers Swaziland. SUDAN WRD activities took place only in eastern Sudan. In order to build up refugees’ capacity in planning, budgeting and implementing activities and their self-reliance, female and male Camp Elders’ Com- mittees were involved in the organization of events. Activities were then carried out with the partici- pation of the UNHCR implementing partners, including: the Commissioner for Refugees (COR), Hu- man Appeal International (HAI), Sudanese Red Crescent (SRC), Global Health Foun- dation (GHF), Ockenden International, Su- dan Open Learning Organization (SOLO), Forest National Cooperation (FNC), Eri- trean Student Union and WFP. Among the activities organized were: Speeches made by female and male camp Elders’ Committee members, UNHCR and its implementing partners; Traditional Ti- grey and Banyamir songs and dances; Traditional horse-riding; Theatre plays based on stories of Eritrean refugees, or- ganized by school children; Poems pre- sented by students and elderly people; Story-telling and Eritrean history-telling Banyamir songs and music: ©UNHCR/Sudan - 38 -

organized by grandparents for the children; Gifts presentation to vulnerable women including widows, elders and single female heads of households included a small presentation of wheel-chairs to peo- ple with special needs. Exhibitions of “Eritrean Culture”, “Environmental Programme” and “Women’s Income Generation Activities”.

On a national level, a public awareness campaign was organized through the national media. UNHCR provided them with WRD materials and lobbied through journalists and senior editors to se- cure good media coverage of the day.

In some camps, the High Commissioner’s WRD message was read in Arabic by refugee representa- tives. It was also published in full by Sudan Vision the English Language daily. The radio devoted over 40 minutes to WRD and UNHCR activities in Sudan in a two-day period. Six newspapers re- ported on WRD. SWAZILAND WRD was commemorated by holding two main functions. On 20 June the Minister for Home Affairs AFRICA AFRICA officially launched Project Profile Swaziland during a press conference. On 23 June, the Malindza refugee camp played host to the local community in a celebration full of music, prayers and re- marks by refugee representative and again the Minister for Home Affairs among others. The event was organized in partnership which comprised the Swaziland Government, UNHCR and Caritas. Swaziland is covered by the Regional Office in South Africa. TANZANIA, UNITED REPUBLIC of The main WRD event was a ceremony held in Chogo settlement on 20 June. Government officials, implementing partners and donors were among the 280 officially invited, in addition to the 3,000 So- mali refugees in the camp. UNHCR provided lunch for all participants and handed out the WRD statements and other information briefs about the operation and the Chogo settlement in particular. The most important initiative carried out was citizenship certificates handed out to 182 Somali refu- gees by the Minister of Home Affairs. He also presented government scholarship to cover high school education to the first female and male refugee students to pass Form Four examinations. Also, the UNHCR representative handed over a primary school in the camp to the local authorities. Traditional dance and karate performances were in the programme. Several cultural events and performances took place in the refugee camps. Events, including poetry, acrobats, sports, drama and singing, were dynamic in celebrating the theme of the year, and they all reflected the perseverance and patience in the refugee camps. A workshop for journalists on refugee issues was organized the day before the WRD press conference. More than 25 journalists attended from various media agencies in Tanzania. This, together with the broadcast of several TV and Disabled women with a placard in Kiswahili saying “It takes radio interviews ensured a wide and good media courage to be a refugee”: ©UNHCR/Tanzania coverage of WRD which was reflected in the following: The High Commissioner’s WRD message was quoted in some of the newspapers and on the radio and TV news on 20 June; The Global View 2005 and the “Courage” TV and radio spots were broadcast nationally several times on pro-bono basis; Some 15 press reports stressed the WRD events in the Chogo camp; The estimated value of the media coverage was USD 6,800. TOGO On the eve of WRD a Catholic Mass was celebrated at the Cathedral of the Seminary at Tokoin. Messages on the refugee situation, of forgiveness and reconciliation were transmitted to the partici- pants. On 20 June, the Minister of Social Affairs, Women Promotion and Child Protection handed over a symbolic amount of rice and oil to refugees before making a speech at the official WRD ceremony.

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Among the 450 guests were the President of the National Commission for Refugees, a representa- tive of the Home Affairs, Security and Decentralization Ministry, the High Commissioner for Repatria- tion and Humanitarian Action, local population and refugees. Refreshments followed the perform- ances of folkloric groups. Ten medias reported on WRD, reaching in between one and two million people across the country. Togo is covered by the Regional Office in Benin. UGANDA The visit of the High Commis- sioner made WRD very special in Uganda. He took part in a ceremony at Ikafe refugee settlement in the northern Arua district. Refugees or- ganized dances, theatre perform- ances and sports competitions to celebrate WRD with such a distinc- tive guest. Similar WRD cultural and sport events took place in other refu-

gee settlements across the country, AFRICA whilst urban refugees in Kampala participated in some theatre and mu- sic performances.

High Commissioner António Guterres talking with Sudanese refugees in Ikafe in northern Uganda: © UNHCR/K. McKinsey Two unique competitions took place. In Ikafe there was a contest for refugee children to build toys, which were later exhibited. Refugees’ paintings on the theme of Courage competed for the final prize: painting a mural on UNHCR premises in Kampala. Radio Uganda translated the WRD “Courage” spot in Swahili and Luganda and, together with WBS TV, broadcast them free of charge. The presence of the High Commissioner in Uganda was an event that attracted the attention of all media. International (BBC-IRIN-AFP-REUTERS) as well as national media (New Vision, Monitor, Radio Uganda, Uganda Television, WBS Television) extensively reported on it. At the national level, the media coverage was of great significance, notably with 20 press articles accounted for. Acrobatics group in Nakivale: ©UNHCR/Uganda ZAMBIA On Monday 13 June, the Minister of Home Affairs launched the WRD Awareness Week on national television, stressing that voluntary repatriation remains the best du- rable solution to large scale displacement of refugees. To support the Awareness Week, an exhibition was held at Manda Hill Shopping Centre, proving to be an ex- cellent occasion for refugee exhibitors to make vital commercial contacts. Also, School Sensitization Sessions were held, reaching 1000 students, as well as a lec- ture on UNHCR and its work, held at the University of Zambia. The main event was held at the YMCA Met- Congolese refugee women performing a cultural dance during WRD celebrations in Lusaka: ©UNHCR/Zambia ropolitan Hall. The commemoration began

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with a march led by the police band. Approximately 600 urban refugees attended in addition to the invited guests that included representatives from government, UN agencies, donors, NGO partners and civil society. The event was filled with cultural dances and sketches performed by refugees of various nationalities. At its climax, a friendly Tug of War game took place in which the strong but slim looking Refugee Community thrashed the hefty and strong appearing UNHCR and IP team. The Cathedral of the Holy Cross hosted a WRD Ecumenical Service on 18 June, organized by the Inter-Church Refugee Committee. In attendance were the Home Affairs Deputy Minister, UNHCR regional representative, senior clergy from the Zambia Episcopal Conference, representatives from the IPs, and the refugee community. On top of the activities in Lusaka, other commemorative events were carried out in the various camps and settlements in Zambia. A number of radio and television programmes were organized, among them a live radio discus- sion featuring Legal Advisor of the Minister of Home Affairs on Radio Phoenix and the airing of the UNHCR Global View and a documentary on the Zambia Initiative by ZNBC TV. There was also wide coverage of the history of refugees in Zambia, the Zambia Initiative, and the main WRD event by radio, television and print media, with 12 press articles. The High Commissioner’s WRD message AFRICA AFRICA was broadcast on TV during prime time. ZIMBABWE WRD was marked with celebrations in Tongogara refugee camp on 20 June. Refugees managed to show up for the celebrations in spite of the ongoing mini emergency in the country. The official pro- gram started with a tour of the camp and a briefing by the Camp Administrator. The guest of honor was the Deputy Minister of Public Service, Labor & Social Welfare. The member of parliament for Chipinge North, which is the district where the camp is located, and the UNHCR chief of mission in Zimbabwe, also addressed the gathering. Groups representing the various refugee nationalities as well as the Zimbabwean host community performed traditional songs and dances. School children recited poems and sang songs on the theme Courage. The event was covered by media with arti- cles published in two main Zimbabwean newspapers.

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