Reflections on World Refugee Day
On World Refugee Day this year, the Jesuit Refugee Service and partners launched the “One Shared Humanity” Manifesto, encouraging communities to “reject harmful attitudes towards refugees, and to promote shared spaces of belonging and encounter”.
Pope Francis has consistently called for a culture of encounter and dialogue, urging communities and nations to bridge divisions and build relationships based on mutual respect and understanding. Rooted in the Gospel message of love and justice, we are called to uphold the dignity of every human person, especially those who are marginalised and vulnerable.
In the context of refugees, this means not only providing material assistance but also fostering an inclusive environment where refugees are welcomed, their voices heard, and their contributions valued. Many refugees, given the opportunity can become valuable contributors in their host countries, enriching their places of refuge with their skills, knowledge, and resilience.
So how have we as members of JRS Singapore lived out this spirit of solidarity? In Singapore, we came together with a group of faith-based organisations on World Refugee Day this year to create awareness about the refugee situation, and showcase several education and livelihood opportunities dedicated to supporting them. Ten real-life stories of refugees were depicted in artwork created by refugees and Singaporean artists working together. As one of the members of the group, JRS paired up with a talented young student artist from School of the Arts (SOTA) who volunteered to do the artwork. The illustrated panels gave a voice to the refugees without compromising their privacy and security. These were displayed during a two-week exhibition at One Holland Village and reflected the reality of some 130 million men, women and children in the world today who are forcibly displaced.
When we asked one of the refugee graduates from our LEAP@JRS digital education programme, who is now an intern, if she wanted to be featured, she was very excited to share her story with others through this exhibition and how her experience with JRS Singapore has given her a new outlook in life.
This was one of the goals when we initiated LEAP@JRS – to not just empower the refugees with digital skills, but also journey with them and ignite hope for a better future. Many of our volunteers have responded to the call to accompany our refugee and migrant brothers and sisters with personal interaction, sharing of skills, mentorship, or simply lending a listening ear.
Let us continue to build inclusive societies where the JRS values of solidarity, inclusivity, hospitality, and the recognition of human dignity serve as the cornerstone of our interactions with one another.