Refugee Center In Utica Celebrate World Refugee Day

Utica, NY (WIBX) - The Refugee Center in Utica celebrated, World Refugee Day to recognize and highlight the contribution of those who have been displaced from their homelands due to political, social or religious persecution. Peter Vogelaar, Executive Director for the Mohawk Valley Resource Center for Refugees in Utica says the day is recognized globally and by the United Nations High Commissioner of Refugees.

Vogelaar said, "The World Refugee Day is a chance to really kind of highlight who they are, what their plight is, our world response and a national response to their concerns and those issues but on top of that is actually a celebration of life, celebration of the resilience of the human spirit, celebration of, in spite of man kinds worst atrocities that we're able to overcome." He says these examples are seen every day in Utica with the Refugees that have come to call the area home.