Lisbon, Portugal—UPF and an affiliated organization participated in an online discussion marking World Refugee Day.
The organization Together Without Borders held its first annual World Refugee Day event on June 20, 2020. This year's theme was "Hope between Borders: Refugees and Migrants."
The national presidents of UPF and Women's Federation for World Peace (WFWP), an affiliated organization, took part in the event, as did three members of the UPF-Portugal board.
With this event the organizers wanted to promote the exchange of practical experience between people who are attempting, in a variety of different ways, to raising awareness of the importance of human rights.
World Refugee Day honors the courage and strength of women, men and children who are forced to flee their home countries to escape war, violence or oppression.
Six speakers told about their life experience and the courage, resilience and dedication they displayed when they crossed borders:
Margarida Frazão Lozano, a social educator and the founder of Together Without Borders, who has worked with refugees and migrant families as well as youth around the world;
Faiza Erraoui, founder of the A Casa Árabe Portuguesa association, who dedicates her life to supporting refugees and immigrants;
Evódia Graça, a leadership and female image coach, who speaks about her life experience and achievements since leaving Cape Verde;
Susana Costa and Teresa Costa from Refugees Welcome Porto, resilient young women who have crossed borders to support refugees;
Majd Nassef, a former Syrian refugee who arrived in Portugal in 2017 with three children and worked as an English teacher.
We were also honored to have the presence of Dr. Fernanda Carvalho, a professor and the director of the department of social sciences and humanities at the university Instituto Superior de Ciências Educativas.