Mayoral Proclamation World Refugee Day 2020
WHEREAS, World Refugee Day is an annual commemoration adopted by the United Nations in 2000 to honor and raise awareness of refugees; and
WHEREAS, the City of Takoma Park is a welcoming city that celebrates the growing diversity of its residents and acknowledges 
that refugees, immigrants, and all newcomers enhance the culture and the economy; and
WHEREAS, more than 70 million displaced people have been forced from their homes worldwide, more than any time in recorded history, including over 25 million refugees; and
WHEREAS, refugees are people who have fled their country because they have a well-founded fear of persecution because of their race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group; and
WHEREAS, resettlement provides safe haven when refugees cannot return home and cannot rebuild their lives in the country they fled due to lack of access to safety, shelter, health care, education, or protection; and
WHEREAS, the City of Takoma Park is home to a diverse population of refugees and immigrants, adding to the economic strength and cultural richness of our community; and
WHEREAS, residents of Takoma Park aspire to live up to our highest societal values of acceptance and equity, and treat newcomers with decency and respect, creating a vibrant community for all to live in.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, KATE STEWART, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF TAKOMA PARK, MARYLAND, on behalf of the Council, residents, and staff, proclaim June 20, 2020, as World Refugee Day.
Date this 17th day of June, 2020.
Kate Stewart
Mayor
