Tucson World RefugeeFest is held annually to commemorate World Refugee Day, a tribute to the remarkable determination and resilience of tens of millions of refugees uprooted by war and violence. This free family celebration will be held in downtown Tucson at El Presidio Park on June 20, 2009 from 5PM to 9PM, and will feature music, dance and art from countries around the world, as well as ethnic food and interactive activities.
The UN General Assembly selected June 20th as World Refugee Day in order to honor the strength and contributions of refugees around the world. The event is celebrated annually by refugees and international communities not only to highlight refugee resilience but give voice to their stories. Tucson World RefugeeFest reveals Tucson’s membership in a larger global community. It recognizes the need for local communities such as Tucson to take part in the global effort dedicated to supporting and celebrating the strengths of refugees. Join us to hear their voices and celebrate their stories!
Volunteers Needed! Contact Tim Horbert - vista.lss@gmail.com or 520-721-4444 ext.28
Artisans
Iraqi Bead, Crochet & Jewelry
Congolese Hair Braiding
Bhutanese Knitting
Burundian Basket Weaving
Refugee Sewing Circle |
Somali Bantu Scarves
Bhutanese Henna
African Clothing & Jewelry
Arabic Calligraphy
Afghani & World Markets |
5 - 6PM
Bhutanese Dancers – Refugee women from Bhutan will dance to traditional Nepali/Hindi music
Welcoming Address–Mayor Walkup reads Tucson’s World Refugee Day Proclamation
Refugee Youth Poetry – Tucson refugees from The Owl & Panther Project share poetry from their newly published book
Writing Out of the Darkness: An Anthology of Poetry by Refugees in Transition
Karen Music – Tu Tu & Roe Paw introduce the beautiful music traditional of the Karen people.
6 - 7PM
Iraqi Poetry & Music – Adil Kalali shares his experiences about life in Iraq and the transition from refugee to Tucsonan
The Voices of Refugee Youth – Students from the nationally recognized voices program at Catalina High will perform an excerpt from The Unexpected, a play about refugee life written by student Sukuru Kalunga
Bhutanese Singers - Rajen Sinchuri & Chandra Sinchuri perform traditional Bhutanese music in nepali
7 - 8PM
Burundian Choir – The Goshen Ministries Choir – Under the direction of Pastor Bigimba Ngabo, the choir will perform Christian songs in Swahili, Kirundi, French and English
Iraqi Poetry & Music - Adil Kalali shares his experiences about life in Iraq and the transition from refugee to Tucsonan
Adult Drumming Circle – Join us as Martin Klabunde of The Dambe Project leads a community drum circle
8 - 9PM
Cameroon Rapper – African artist Rootman Kujah expresses his world view through hip-hop and reggae
Cuban Music – Dou Libre (Yasel Mendoza Patterson & Alejandro Ochoa de Miguel) return to the RefugeeFest stage with their driving Cuban beat
African Drumming – Experience the rhythms of East and West Africa with Martin Klabunde of The Dambe Project
Since 1982 Tucson has become home to almost 10,000 refugees. A refugee is any person who is unable to return to his or her own country because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. Each year thousands of families arrive in the United States from countries all over the world to rebuild their lives and become members of a new community. For many, Tucson has become that community.
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Contact us at info@tucsonrefugeefest.com with questions.
