World Refugee Day: Celebrating Talent and Belonging
World Refugee Day: Celebrating Talent and Belonging
World Refugee Day: Celebrating Talent and Belonging
19 June 2026, Nairobi. Refugee performers at World Refugee Day at Ufungamano House. Photo by Nancy Mwangi for IRC.
Every year on 20 June, the global community marks World Refugee Day to honour the courage, resilience, and determination of millions of people who have been forced to flee conflict and persecution. Beyond recognition, the day serves as a call to strengthen protection, expand opportunities, and build societies where refugees can live in safety, dignity, and hope.
In Kenya, the International Rescue Committee (IRC), through the Re:BUiLD program, joined government institutions, refugee-led organizations, development partners, academia, and host communities in commemorating World Refugee Day 2026 through a week of activities that reflected a shared commitment to inclusion, resilience, and sustainable solutions.
Building Social Cohesion Through Sport
The commemorations began on 17 June with a sports tournament organized by the Nairobi City County Government (NCCG) in partnership with IRC's Re:BUiLD program.
17 June 2026, Nairobi. Football tournament match between female refugees and women from host communities at Uhuru Sports Complex. Photo by Nancy Mwangi for IRC.
Held at Uhuru Sports Complex, the tournament brought together refugees and members of host communities, to compete in football and basketball. Mixed teams encouraged interaction, teamwork, and mutual understanding while reinforcing the message that sport has the power to unite communities across cultures and backgrounds.
The tournament was designed not simply as a sporting event but as an opportunity to strengthen social cohesion, celebrate talent, and promote peaceful coexistence—values that remain central to the Nairobi County Refugee Integration Strategy (NCRIS) and Re:BUiLD's broader vision of inclusive urban development.
Celebrating Refugee Entrepreneurship and Solidarity
The celebrations continued with IRC Kenya's internal World Refugee Day program, bringing together staff, refugee clients, partners, and Merchant Square tenants in a meaningful celebration of resilience and inclusion.
At the heart of the event was a Client Product Showcase, where refugee entrepreneurs supported through IRC's Re:BUiLD program displayed and sold products and services, creating opportunities to engage directly with staff, neighbouring businesses, and members of the public. The showcase highlighted the creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit of refugees while demonstrating that economic inclusion is an essential component of sustainable refugee responses.
Participants also contributed to a Solidarity Pledge Wall, publicly affirming their commitment to supporting refugee inclusion and building more welcoming communities. Throughout the celebration, refugee clients shared personal testimonies about their experiences, while partners, including representatives from the Nairobi City County Government, the Department of Refugee Services (DRS), UNHCR, SHOFCO, FODAJ, Pamoja Trust, and Equity—reaffirmed the importance of collaboration in advancing durable solutions. The program concluded with remarks from the IRC Kenya Country Director and informal networking among staff, clients, and partners.
These engagements reflected one of Re:BUiLD's core beliefs: refugees are not merely recipients of assistance, they are entrepreneurs, workers, innovators, and active contributors to Kenya's social and economic development.
A National Call for Inclusion
The week's activities culminated in the national World Refugee Day commemoration held at the University of Nairobi's Taifa Hall under the global theme "Until Everyone Is Safe."
19 June 2026, Nairobi. Panel with Nairobi City County, Pamoja Trust, Kituo Cha Sheria, refugees, and Gender Dept on refugee inclusion at WRD event. Photo by Nancy Mwangi for IRC.
The event convened senior government officials, development partners, humanitarian organizations, refugee-led organizations, universities, students, and host communities to reaffirm Kenya's commitment to refugee protection and sustainable inclusion.
Speaking during the event, Dr. Belio Kipsang, Principal Secretary for Immigration and Citizen Services, emphasized that refugee protection is ultimately about people.
"Behind every displacement statistic is a human story of resilience, hope, and determination."
He reaffirmed Kenya's commitment to implementing progressive initiatives such as the Refugee Act (2021) and the Shirika Plan, which seek to strengthen refugee inclusion while promoting peaceful coexistence and shared prosperity between refugees and host communities.
A key highlight of the event was the recognition of refugees as active contributors to economic and social development.
Addressing participants, JeanPaul Kasika, Executive Director of the Refugee-Led Organization Network of Kenya (RELON Kenya), challenged traditional perceptions of refugees.
"It is time to change the narrative about refugees. Beyond the challenges they face, many are leaders, innovators, entrepreneurs, and human rights advocates who contribute to the development of society."
His remarks reinforced an important message echoed throughout the week—that expanding access to livelihoods, education, financial services, and legal documentation enables refugees to contribute more fully to the communities in which they live.
The week-long World Refugee Day celebrations illustrated this evolution. From community sports that fostered social cohesion, to refugee entrepreneur showcases that highlighted economic inclusion, to national policy dialogue that reinforced government leadership, each activity demonstrated that refugee inclusion requires action at every level of society.
By working alongside governments, refugee-led organizations, development partners, academic institutions, and communities, Re:BUiLD continues contributing to a future where refugees and host communities can thrive together—not only through improved livelihoods, but also through stronger institutions, greater collaboration, and shared opportunity.
Because, as this year's global theme reminds us, until everyone is safe, the work is not done.
