World Refugee Day, celebrated on June 20, aims to raise awareness about the conditions of refugees and appreciate their resilience in the face of conflict and persecution. On June 21, 2025, a bazaar themed “A month of stories and solidarity” was held at M-Bloc Space, Jakarta, as part of this commemoration. The event involved many organizations, including UNHCR, Refuture, SUAKA, and JRS Indonesia.

As a staff member of JRS Indonesia, I attended this event for the first time and was very excited. My task was to receive guests and record visitors, as well as explain the activities related to World Refugee Day. I worked together with Diana from SUAKA and Rahma from CWS to encourage people to learn more about refugees.

The event involved many parties. They supported multimedia, sound systems, MC, and other equipment. Many refugees arrived early to set up booths selling specialty foods and crafts from their home countries, such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, Palestine, Somalia, and Rohingya Myanmar. This activity helped to increase the understanding of refugees and their situation among people in Jakarta.

As a social worker, I understand that refugees, both as individuals or groups, are forced to flee their home country due to conflict or persecution. Until now, Indonesia has not ratified the 1951 Convention on the Status of Refugees, which makes it difficult for them to work and make ends meet. They rely heavily on the assistance of international organizations.

World Refugee Day provides hope and an opportunity to get to know refugees from better perspectives. I am inspired by Pope Francis’ message that calls us to care for marginalized people and support them. I hope that this event can raise public awareness to care more about refugees who face an uncertain future.

Contributor: Adi Priyanto – JRS Indonesia