Contact:             

Lindsay Hansen

Catholic Charities            

(480) 205-6195 cell

lhansen@cc-az.org

PHOENIX, Ariz. (May 29, 2007)…World Refugee Day is June 20 and the United Nations High Commission on Refugees has set aside that week to honor refuges, raise awareness in the community and remember their difficulties.  Catholic Charities will take part in several local events during that week. 

The community is invited to attend two events.  Sunday, June 17 at 6 p.m. at Harkins Arcadia 8 theatre, there will be a showing of “God Grew Tired of Us”, a movie about the Lost Boys of Sudan.  Two Lost Boys will speak and answer questions after the movie.  Seating is limited.  Tickets may be reserved in advance by visiting www.AZRAC.org.   Doors will open at 5 p.m. and the theatre is located at 40th Street and Thomas in Phoenix.

The other event is the World Refugee Day Celebration on Wednesday, June 20 from 5 to 9 p.m. in the Phoenix College Auditorium, located at 1202 W. Thomas Road.  There will be refugee entertainers from a variety of countries, speakers who will share their stories of persecution and having to flee their country.  In addition, food and handmade craft items from their countries will be available for purchase. 

Catholic Charities will have a booth with information about resettlement at the World Refugee Day event.  Several refugee speakers from countries such as Liberia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Cuba and Sudan will also be in attendance. 

Refugees are invited to the United States by the Department of State to be resettled.  They are assisted by resettlement agencies, such as Catholic Charities, churches and community groups.  Their lives have been completely destroyed in their home country and they are beginning new lives in the United States. 

Each year, the United States resettles between 50,000-70,000 refugees.  Last year, Catholic Charities welcomed over 700 refugees to Arizona.   The nonprofit organization works with these individuals to reunite them with family members and help them become productive members of society. 

World Refugee Day events are being sponsored by the Arizona Diamondbacks, Catholic Charities, International Rescue Committee, Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest, Phoenix College International Student Services and Refugee & Immigrants Relief Services. 

For more information about World Refugee Day events, please contact Timothy Huff, World Refugee Day chair at (602) 542-6612 or visit www.AZRAC.org. 

About Catholic Charities

Founded in 1933, Catholic Charities Community Services is one of Arizona’s oldest and largest nonprofit organizations which offers a diverse range of social services that strengthen families, protect and nurture children, and support people in crisis.  Catholic Charities serves people of all ages and faiths.  Each year, the charitable organization provides approximately 52 programs at 100 locations to nearly 213,000 people in central and northern Arizona.  Catholic Charities is a member organization of Catholic Charities USA which is the largest private network of social service organizations in the United States working to support families, reduce poverty, and build communities.  The organization is accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Children and Family Services.  To learn more about Catholic Charities visit www.catholiccharitiesaz.org.

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