This weekend in Boise and Twin Falls, there will be World Refugee Day celebrations. These events, organized by the U.S. Center for Refugees and Immigrants with support from the community, are free and open to the public. In Twin Falls, the Magic Valley Refugee Day will be held at Twin Falls Downtown City Park at 6 p.m. on Friday, while in Boise, World Refugee Day celebrations will take place at The Grove Plaza from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday.
The events will feature food, live music, vendor booths, and performances by community members from refugee backgrounds. These celebrations are designed to honor refugees worldwide and highlight joint efforts to address global refugee issues. Joel Ntando, coordinator of the Refugee Speakers Bureau at the Idaho Office for Refugees, emphasized that the day is meant to celebrate the lives of refugees and showcase their contributions to society.
Globally, an estimated 117 million people are displaced due to persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations, and other disruptions. This includes populations like Palestinians in Gaza, Ukrainians in conflict zones, and Sudanese children displaced from their homes. Idaho’s resettlement program began in 1975 to receive refugees from Southeast Asia following the Vietnam War. This year’s celebrations aim to honor the refugees who have since made Idaho their home and recognize their valuable contributions to society.
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