In a show of solidarity with fellow United Nations (UN) members, Canada and Toronto observe World Refugee Day on June 20. 

The day commemorates and spreads awareness on the needs and rights of the world’s refugees, according to the United Nations Refugee Agency website. 

The first World Refugee Day was observed in 2001 to correlate with the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, which defined the legal obligations of UN members to protect refugees. 

Toronto's commemoration included a short statement from Toronto Mayor John Tory, who spoke to the media Monday morning.

"Toronto's strength truly lies in its diversity and its commitment to caring and inclusion," Tory said. "Our nation has been built from generations of newcomers from all over the world, many of whom sought refuge here - this is something we will not and cannot forget."

Other commemorations around the city include highlighting recent initiatives from Toronto-based organizations like B'nai Brith.

The organization highlighted its current initiatives of the emergency funds for Aghani and Ukrainian refugees that had aided in resettlement for these newcomers in their new country and city. 

Apartment units and donations like hygiene kits and school supplies are provided as well. To date, three units have been furnished for families, and about 10 trucks for donation packages have been collected. 

B’nai Brith is a Toronto-based organization dedicated to unifying those of the Jewish faith and helping the world eradicate racism and intolerance, according to its website. It is the oldest independent Jewish human rights organization in Canada. 

CJRU reached out to B’nai Brith about establishing the initiatives. CJRU is awaiting a response. 

In the sports world, Canadian soccer star Alphonso Davies spoke about his own experiences living in a refugee camp as a Liberian national — he and his family were able to come to Canada when he was five-years-old. His story was posted by the UN on social media.

Davies and the Canadian national team are expected to play in select matches in Toronto and Vancouver during the 2026 World Cup, according to recent reports.

According to the UN, 2022 saw more than 100 million refugees worldwide — this includes about three million fleeing Afghanistan, more than eight million fleeing Ukraine and close to 13 million Syrian refugees since 2019.    

On a live blog, the UN displayed how each member state commemorate World Refugee Day. 

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