In the battle against COVID-19 and beyond, refugees are essential to keeping communities safe, making society stronger and rebuilding our world. This World Refugee Day—and every day—we are proud to celebrate their contributions. Watch our video voiced by South African refugee and famed actress Noma Dumezweni.  Learn more about our campaign at Rescue.org/WorldRefugeeDay. 

Before the Refugee Act of 1980, refugee resettlement in the U.S. was largely conducted privately or through community groups. The act standardized the process and today most refugees in the U.S. are primarily welcomed through resettlement agencies, such as the International Rescue Committee.

Actor and activist Mandy Patinkin recently witnessed first­hand the refugee crisis engulfing Europe. Alongside International Rescue Committee aid workers in Greece, he met families who had fled Syria and other war­torn countries in hopes of finding a better life for their children in Europe. “Standing with them, I did not see strangers to be feared but the faces and stories of my own family.

  Fariba, who left Afghanistan as a child, creates beautiful bags and jewelry from materials other refugees brought with them on boats to Greece. Now she's using her skills to start a business.

Our research shows that refugee women could generate up to $1.4 trillion to annual global GDP if employment and wage gaps were closed.