World Refugee Day @ Lynden Sculpture Garden

The Institute of World Affairs (IWA) at UWM joined the HOME Refugee Steering Committee at the Lynden Sculpture Garden on Saturday, June 22, to celebrate World Refugee Day. Kim Khaira, who organized the event, noted that it is an annual celebration that brings refugees from different parts of Milwaukee together.

This year, the Committee focused on HOME as the theme. Gwendolyn Sutton, a member of the Lynden Garden HOME Refugee Steering Committee, gave the opening remarks, expressing that the day was not just about celebrating World Refugee Day, but also “the power of partnerships.” In addition, Gwendolyn said that the celebration reflects the Committee’s “commitment to raising awareness of the situation of refugees worldwide.” 

The event started with prayers from different faith groups and speeches from partners, such as the Interfaith Conference of Greater Milwaukee and others. The event was attended by various community resource partners, such as the Hunger Task Force, Milwaukee Public Library, Covering Wisconsin, Community Center for Immigrants, and many others, all of whom play various role in supporting refugees.

One of the community partners, Jeremy Booth, Program Manager at the Community Center for Immigrants, noted that one of the highlights of the day is the importance of letting refugees know the community is here to support them. Similarly, Lorin Jones, Community Engagement Coordinator at the International Institute of Wisconsin, noted that the event brings needed resources to refugees and the ways to navigate them, underscoring the significant impact of the event.