17th Charity Refugee Film Festival for World Refugee Day 2024

EVENT DESCRIPTION

On 14 June, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, will launch the 17th Charity Refugee Film Festival to mark World Refugee Day 2024. This year’s festival seeks to heighten public awareness of the refugee cause and galvanize collective efforts to address the global displacement crisis by showcasing the power of solidarity and durable solutions through film.

Furthermore, the UNHCR is pleased to announce its upcoming post-screening event on 30 June, where a special guest, former Hong Kong badminton player Yip Pui Yin, will be hosted. Yip Pui Yin has been invited to share her inspiring journey of hard work and training in preparation for past Olympic competitions. Yip will also offer invaluable insights into her emotional journey and personal reflections after watching the movie centered around the inspiring stories of refugee athletes.

World Refugee Day is the international observance designated by the United Nations to rally global support for refugees, to create a world where refugees are welcomed.

Over the past year, the scourge of war has enveloped the world. The war in Ukraine entered its third year, a humanitarian catastrophe is unfolding in the Middle East, millions are facing imminent famine in conflict-ravaged Sudan and so many more. These crises and others have forced more than 114 million people to flee their homes. Yet even after escaping from the frontlines of conflict and disaster, refugees face daunting challenges — finding safety in unfamiliar surroundings, healing emotional wounds, and rebuilding shattered lives.

Through stories like these, UNHCR aims for audiences to be inspired to extend support to forcibly displaced people, including integration into welcoming communities. This empowers refugees to become self-reliant and contributing members of society. By fostering unity and inclusion, the global community can work towards lasting solutions to the ongoing refugee crisis.

As such, this year’s film festival features two films – The Old Oak and We Dare to Dream – to be screened at the Broadway Cinematheque and PALACE ifc. The films showcase how refugees persevere through hardship, forge community ties, and courageously overcome challenges with hope in their hearts.

All proceeds from the Charity Refugee Film Festival will be used to support the lifesaving work of UNHCR. Each ticket sold represents a direct contribution towards making a tangible difference in the lives of people forced to flee. A single ticket, for example, can provide two refugee or host community children with sports uniforms and equipment, allowing them to participate in sports activities with confidence, promoting unity and wellbeing.

ABOUT THE ARTIST / ORGANISER

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for people forced to flee their homes because of conflict and persecution. We lead international action to protect refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people.
We deliver life-saving assistance, help safeguard fundamental human rights, and develop solutions that ensure people have a safe place called home where they can build a better future. We also work to ensure that stateless people are granted a nationality. We work in over 130 countries, using our expertise to protect and care for millions.

World Refugee Day is an international day designated by the United Nations to honour refugees around the globe. It falls each year on 20 June and celebrates the strength and courage of people who have been forced to flee their home country to escape conflict or persecution. World Refugee Day is an occasion to build empathy and understanding for their plight and to recognize their resilience in rebuilding their lives.