Neighborhood House of Milwaukee
Press Release

The Milwaukee Area Refugee Consortium Hosts Milwaukee World Refugee Day 2017

Mayor Tom Barrett to speak at Milwaukee World Refugee Day 2017

By - Jun 19th, 2017 04:10 pm

Milwaukee, WI – To honor the refugees who find their new home in Milwaukee community every year, the Milwaukee Area Refugee Consortium (MARC) will celebrate the World Refugee Day on Tuesday, June 20th, from 4 pm to 7 pm, at Pere Marquette Park, 900 N Plankinton Ave. The event is free and open to the public.  Event speakers will include Mayor Tom Barrett, Representative Daniel Riemer, Judge-elect Kristy Yang, and State Refugee Coordinator Bojana Zoric Martinez.

Every year on June 20th, the United Nations and countless civic groups around the world celebrate World Refugee Day to honor the courage, strength and determination of women, men and children who are forced to flee their homes under threat of persecution, conflict and violence. The Milwaukee event will feature cultural performances and activities, music and guest speakers, to celebrate our new neighbors, the culture and diversity they bring to our city.

The history of refugee resettlement dates back to 1975 when the first Hmong refugees were welcomed to Wisconsin. In early 90’s there was a large wave of refugees from Former Soviet Union, and in mid and late 90’s other refugee groups started arriving from variety of countries: Former Yugoslavia, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Somalia, Congo, Afghanistan and others. Most recent groups are arriving from Burma, Iraq, Syria, Bhutanese from Nepal, and Eritrea. Over time more than fifty different ethnic group from all over the world arrived to Milwaukee.

Milwaukee World Refugee Day is sponsored by the Wisconsin Department of Children & Families and MARC partner agencies: Catholic Charities of Southeast Wisconsin, Neighborhood House of Milwaukee –  International Learning Center, International Institute of Wisconsin, Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan, Neighborhood House of Milwaukee, Pan African Community Association, and Muslim Community Health Center, refugee communities, and many wonderful volunteers.

For more information on Milwaukee World Refugee Day, please visit www.facebook.com/MilwaukeeWorldRefugeeDay/ or contact Cynthia Zarazua, International Learning Center Manager, at 414-344-4777 or czarazua@nh-milw.org.

ABOUT NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSE: Neighborhood House of Milwaukee is a community center in the settlement house tradition, founded to help strengthen children and families in some of the city’s most underserved neighborhoods. The agency has touched the lives of nearly a million children and adults since 1945. Its highly regarded, award-winning programs serve infants and toddlers, school-age and teen youth, adults and families, refugees and immigrants. More at www.neighborhoodhousemke.org

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.

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