The United Nations World Refugee Day and World Refugee Week will be celebrated from Tuesday 18th June to Thursday 20th June, at the heart of Carlton Centre in central Johannesburg.

The week will be commemorated with an award ceremony, a photographic and project launch and cultural programmes.

On Tuesday 18th June 2002, a unique exhibition depicting refugee life in South Africa will be launched. There will be a cultural programme of events from Congo Brazzaville, Burundi and South Africa and arts and crafts from around the African continent will be on display. Brigitte Mabandla, Deputy Minister of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology is the keynote speaker.

The award ceremony for the Roll Back Xenophobia's Creative Writing Competition takes place on Wednesday 19th June 2002. Launched nationwide last year, the competition was open to all secondary school children aged between 13 and 19 and attracted over 150 entries. Filmmaker and journalist John Matshikiza and novelist Miriam Tladi judged the entries. The keynote speaker on this occasion is Mosibudi Mangena, Deputy Minister of Education.

On Thursday 20 June, World Refugee Day, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, Deputy Minister of Home Affairs is the fitting keynote speaker to pay tribute to women refugees - the focus of this year's commemoration. An innovative pilot empowerment project for women refugees in Gauteng will be launched on the day.

The media and public are invited to attend the events.

Issued by: Busi Moloele,
Roll Back Xenophobia Campaign, Johannesburg
Tel: 011 484 8300. Fax: 011 642 8494
Cell: 082 925 7710
Email: bmoloele@sahrc.org.za

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