Dear Barkalaia,

I hope this message finds you well. Today I am writing to you with request you to provide a keynote speech at the World Refugee Day event at the Parliament on 20 June.

On 4 December 2000, the United Nations General Assembly in Resolution 55/76 decided that, from 2000, 20 June would be celebrated as World Refugee Day. In this resolution, the General Assembly noted that 2001 marked the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees. Since then, each year on June 20 the United Nations, United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and countless civic groups around the world host World Refugee Day events in order to draw the public's attention to the millions of refugees and internally displaced persons worldwide who have been forced to flee their homes due to war, conflict and persecution. The annual commemoration is marked by a variety of events in more than 100 countries, involving government officials, humanitarian aid workers, celebrities, civil societies, host communities and the forcibly displaced themselves.

June 20 is the day the world commemorates the strength, courage, and perseverance of millions of refugees. World Refugee Day also marks a key moment for the public to show support for families forced to flee. Individuals and community groups are encouraged to mark the day by attending a local World Refugee Day event, watching and sharing World Refugee Day videos, and raising awareness for refugees on social media.

Across the world there are currently over 68.5 million people who have had to leave their homes. Some have settled in new countries; many more are living in refugee camps, waiting for it to be safe enough to go home or to be resettled in a different country. The given figures mean that nearly one in 100 people in the world is a displaced person or refugee. We are now facing the worst refugee crisis in history.

There are a lot of events on 20 June in different countries. Many famous landmarks, such as the Eiffel Tower in Paris and the Empire State Building in New York, are covered in blue lights, the colour of the United Nations. In Glasgow, Scotland, people hold hands to form an enormous human chain around George Square, in the city center, to ‘show the world that Scotland welcomes refugees’. In many places there are film showings, exhibitions and various fundraising events and etc.

On this occasion, in order to join the world celebrations and demonstrate support of Georgia towards the refugees, among number of other public events, UNHCR wishes to organize an event at the Parliament of Georgia to gather all the relevant government stakeholders, Office of the Public Defender of Georgia, representatives of diplomatic missions, UN country team, civil society representatives and most importantly some of the refugee youth.

We hope to have you as one of keynote speakers among our main government partners (please see the suggested key speakers below under the proposed agenda).

The agenda is proposed as follows:

I would appreciate it if you could inform us if you can count on you as a keynote speaker as soon as you can but no later than 18 June 2019. Should you have any questions, please contact me or our focal points copied in this msg: Ms. Nino Kajaia, email: kajaia@unhcr.org; phone: 995 595 11 54 64; Ms. Salome Kusikashvili, email: kusikash@unhcr.org; phone: 995 595 75 70 00.

Thank you for you continuous support and cooperation.

Best regards,

Yoko

Yoko Akasaka

Regional Representative a.i.

UNHCR Regional Representation in the South Caucasus

(Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia)

2a Kazbegi Ave

0160 Tbilisi

Georgia

Tel: + 995 32 238 62 02 ext 260

Fax: + 995 32 238 54 22

Mob: + 995 591 034 690

Email: akasaka@unhcr.org

www.facebook.com/UNHCRGeorgia