World Refugee Day is an annual opportunity to take a closer look at the lives of the millions of uprooted people worldwide.  Fleeing war, persecution and severe human rights violations men, women and children rely on the protection offered by states that are not their own.  Without this protection they remain abandoned, running the risk of being returned to their unsafe homes.

To commemorate World Refugee Day 2012, we undersigned non-governmental organisations met today and agreed on these common aims and objectives:

1. To forge a stronger common voice aimed at policy-makers and the public;

2. To share our resources, capacities and expertise;

3. To jointly advocate with and on behalf of asylum-seekers and refugees;

4. To share information with each other;

5. To coordinate our projects and strategies in order to avoid duplication of efforts and to secure a stronger, more effective impact.

We have different identities and are involved in various activities, yet together we gather years of hard and rewarding work, providing services to or advocating for persons forced to flee their homes.  We are happy to share our acquired expertise with the governmental authorities and with the general public, with the respect for the human dignity of asylum-seekers and refugees as our core objective.

This meeting is the first of several regular meetings during which we will discuss our common concerns and identify shared goals, to be brought to the attention of the competent authorities and the general public.

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This Press Statement is being issued by the following non-governmental organisations:

aditus foundation, SOS Malta, Jesuit Refugee Service (Malta), Integra Foundation, GetUpStandUp, KOPIN, Organisation for Friendship in Diversity, Malta Emigrants’ Commission