5 ways students can help refugees on World Refugee Day or any day

Want to change the world this summer? Here’s a great way to get started.

A group of refugee students tours Berlin ahead of a conference on education. © UNHCR/Antoine Tardy

World Refugee Day, held each year on 20 June, celebrates the strength and courage of the more than 80 million people — half of them children — who have been forced to flee their homes due to war and persecution.

Refugees often struggle to find shelter, let alone doctors to care for them, schools or even a place to run around and play. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, works with refugees every day to help them build better futures.

This World Refugee Day, we call for greater inclusion of refugees in health, education and sports. But we need everyone’s help to achieve this, including yours. Students are in a great position to help refugees feel welcome.

Here are 5 ways for you to help refugees:

1. Use your creativity to support refugee sports programs

An employee of Alive & Kicking, the world’s only non-profit manufacturer of soccer balls, in Kenya. © Alive & Kicking

The Youth with Refugees Art contest is your chance to use your creativity for a good cause. This year, the theme is “together through sport.” Its purpose is to bring attention to the power of sports to bring people together and give people hope and confidence.

Send us an illustration or design of your #dreamball. The best designs will be made into real soccer balls by an ethical manufacturing company and sold online to support sporting activities for refugees! The deadline is 25 June.

2. Help raise money for scholarships

Ramatulahi Jalloh, a former refugee from Sierra Leone and a survivor of female genital mutilation, is now the first attorney in her family. © Elton Igunbor

Did you know that only three per cent of refugees go on to higher education, compared with 37 per cent of the global population?

You can help refugees go further by raising funds for the Aiming Higher Campaign.

Whether you’re in school, university or part of a youth group, you can donate or mobilize action to help three refugees for a whole year of study. If you want to organize a fundraising event, this site has 75 great ideas for you!

3. Join our Model UN Challenge and create your own policies to change the world

Middle and high school students in Istanbul raise their placards to address the issue of climate-induced displacement as part of the MUN Refugee Challenge. © ACUMUN

Model UNs are student-led simulations of the United Nations in which students step into the shoes of diplomats to solve real problems.

UNHCR launched the 2021 MUN Refugee Challenge to encourage students to find solutions for refugees during their Model UN. This year, some 15,000 “delegates” in 60 countries have already joined.

Join us! You will get the chance to research and debate issues such as the use of technology to help refugees and how to protect the rights of refugee women.

At the end of the year, your best ideas will win awards and be shared with policymakers. Here are 8 winning ideas from last year.

4. Become an advocate for refugees on social media

Students can create visuals to express their support @ Rayan Deeb

Are you active on social media? Talking about the real issues refugees face with your followers online can help raise awareness. This World Refugee Day you can post custom made messages of solidarity.

Create and share your own visuals using this Canva template. You can also send tweets with the hashtag #worldrefugeeday to activate our special emoji or join the #homemeans TikTok challenge launched by UNHCR!

5. Hold an event

Young Brazilians and Venezuelans refugees enjoy time together ahead of a choral performance. ©UNHCR/Alan Azevedo

Do you like to bring people together?

You can organize a World Refugee Day event in your school, village or city – hold a film screening, invite a refugee to speak in your school or at your summer camp or arrange a panel discussion.

If you want to do something fun, hold a sports tournament or a day filled with activities and games. Here are some event ideas to get you started.

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There are so many things young people can do to help refugees on World Refugee Day and beyond. Whether you prefer to volunteer, advocate, create content or fundraise, remember that you can make a big difference.

Would you like to learn more about how you can support refugees and join our network of youth champions?

Feel free to contact us at hqmunrefugee@unhcr.or to ask questions, request material for your fundraisers and events, or just tell us about your plans for World Refugee Day and get a chance to be featured on our social media channels!

Written by UNHCR Communications Associate Rayan Deeb and UNHCR Communications Officer Pauline Eluère.

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people.