I posted a general thread in off topic, but here's one with an emphasis on refugees in ME/NA. Africa and Asia have the largest number of refugees, and the ME/NA is the cross section of those two continents. Here in Minnesota, we have the one of the largest (I think) refugee population in the country, with significant Hmong and Somali communities. We also have the second largest Tibetan refugee communities in the country, and one of the largest Liberian populations.

http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/events?id=3e7f46e04

Keeping the Flame of Hope Alive

Throughout their long and daunting journey from oppression and persecution to asylum and protection, and eventually to a place they can call home, refugees show incredible strength, courage and determination. Their journey is a dangerous and arduous one and every day spent in exile is a day too long.

But in every step of their journey refugees carry with them an unshakable, unrelenting hope. By hanging on to their hopes for basic survival, sustenance and protection, and for the chance to one day rebuild their lives, refugees defy all odds. As the UN Refugee Agency we continue to be impressed by the tenacious hopefulness of refugees which, in turn, motivates us to leave no stone unturned in the fulfillment of our mandate, to protect them and to find durable solutions to their plight.

On World Refugee Day, we ask you to remember the millions of refugees under our care who are trying to pick up the pieces of once-peaceful lives. As different as they are from each other, one thing connects them all: hope for a better future and a chance to restore lasting peace to their lives.

Help us keep that flame of hope alive!

Latest Statistics: 20.8 million
Latest statistics indicate that of the 20.8 million people of concern:

8.4 million are refugees who have fled their countries due to civil wars and ethnic, tribal and religious violence and who cannot return home
6.6 million are internally displaced persons - people forced to flee their homes, but who have not crossed a border
2.4 million are stateless people
1.6 million are returnees
773,000 are asylum seekers
960,000 are others of concern


Will update thread throughout the day as I find more pics/statistics/page of interest on the topic.

In pictures: Palestinian refugee children

Please click on the above link to see all of the pictures

Hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees fled or were driven from their homes during the Israeli-Arab wars in 1948 and 1967. The fate of the estimated four million Palestinians living in refugee communities scattered around the Middle East remains at the heart of the conflict.
The photographs come from a UN exhibition on the lives of Palestinian refugee children to mark World Refugee Day on 20 June 2006.




West Bank, 1968.




Yarmouk Refugee Camp, Syria, 1997.
By M Nasr.




A girl standing in front of her home, ruined by shelling. Tel al-Sultan, Rafah, 2003.
By Laura Junka.



Deheisha Camp, near Bethlehem in the West Bank, 2005.
By Shabtai Gold.

CNN videos on the subject

Ladies thank you for posting links on this very important topic. This is valuable information that I will take the time to read and educate myself and others around me as it is a topic that where we can all gain deeper awareness and understanding.

Thanks for posting, Rahma. It's important to remember these millions of people who are in limbo.