Global initiative 'Refugees Welcome♥' leads to corporate engagement, job and education opportunities for refugees

NEW YORK, June 20, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to the growing global refugee crisis, UNICEF global and other partners are leading Refugees Welcome♥, an international dinner series that aims to bring people from refugee and non-refugee backgrounds together around dinner tables across the globe. Participants break bread, share their stories and show community solidarity in today's political and social climate.

Since launching on Valentine's Day in February 2017, Refugees Welcome♥ dinners have been hosted in towns and cities across the US, including in Boise, Washington (D.C.), San Diego, New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles, and have recently expanded to dinners in Canada, the U.K. and Norway. Past hosts have included leading tech companies, startups, agencies, community organizations, arts and culture institutions and restaurants, including Airbnb; Uber; Tumblr; General Assembly; Global Citizen; Betterment; Grand Central Tech; Civic Hall; the Centre for Social Innovation; Huge; Sid Lee; Britdoc; Trybe; Compass Rose (in Washington, D.C.); and more.

"Since the launch of the campaign, we've worked with a number of refugee resettlement agencies and support groups to invite refugees and asylum-seekers to attend these intimate dinners across the globe. Not only has Refugees Welcome♥ brought communities together over a shared experience, but the dinners have led to friendships, scholarships, employment, tutoring, housing and more for newly-resettled refugees – opportunities that many never dreamed possible," said David Ponet, a civil society partnerships specialist at UNICEF global.

"And it doesn't just stop at dinners; people are organizing brunches, lunches, coffees and teas. They are bonding over rituals, like Iftar, and eating bitter herbs at the Passover Seder. What started as a small-scale effort in the U.S. has quickly grown into a global movement with dinners spreading across Canada, the U.K., Germany, Norway and as far as Hong Kong."

An unprecedented 65.6 million people globally have been forced from home – among them are 22.5 million refugees, over half of whom are children. Many are fleeing war or persecution in their homeland and will never return. UNICEF global and other partners are working together to create people-powered movements and initiatives in support of refugees around the world.

Additionally, Refugees Welcome♥ released a toolkit for prospective hosts that makes it easy for anyone to plan a dinner with tips, conversation starters, nametags and sign-in sheets for the dinner table. Learn more at refugeeswelcometodinner.com.

About Refugees Welcome♥
An unprecedented 65.6 million people globally have been forced from home – among them are nearly 22.5 million refugees, over half of whom are children. Refugees Welcome♥ is a dinner project where refugees and non-refugees break bread and break barriers. Anyone can host a dinner – organizations, businesses, individuals, groups of friends. All you need is an open heart and a big enough table. Interested? Visit RefugeesWelcometoDinner.com.

About UNICEF
UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere.

More information
Campaign website: http://refugeeswelcometodinner.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/refugeeswelcometodinner/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/loveforrefugees
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loveforrefugees/

Contact: David Ponet, [email protected]

Media Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE UNICEF