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Mary O’Carroll and Sean Lyons of TIRC with Cllr Angie Baily at the event to mark World Refugee Day. Photo by Dermot Crean
TRALEE International Resource Centre (TIRC) hosted an event during Thursday lunchtime to mark World Refugee Day – a day to honour refugees around the world.
It is the international day designated by the United Nations to celebrate the courage of those forced to flee their homes.
This year the focus of the day is on ‘our home’ – from the places we gather to share meals to our collective home, planet earth: World Refugee Day calls for global solidarity with refugees, a world where they are welcomed, not feared.
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Refugees and guests enjoyed refreshments and a performance from the TIRC choir during the lunchtime get-together.
While there has been a huge influx of Ukrainian refugees to the county since March of 2022, Kerry has welcomed many refugees over the years, from across the world, all forced to flee conflict in their home countries, and the Tralee International Resource Centre has been working to support them for the past 15 years as they settle into life in Tralee.
“Every person on this planet has a right to seek safety – whoever they are, wherever they come from and whenever they are forced to flee,” said TIRC coordinator Mary Carroll.
Mary Carroll said “there are more than 43 million refugees around the globe, looking for many of the things we Irish take for granted — a home, hope, dignity and justice. On World Refugee Day, we can celebrate the courage that refugees show as they embark on a future that is sometimes uncertain within an environment which is often very unfamiliar. I think we also need to celebrate our own courage to do what’s right and to speak up and help in any way we can.”
She added; “Simple acts like having a chat, walking together, or sending a message of welcome can help everyone feel like they belong. Together, we can work in solidarity to ensure all our neighbours, new and familiar, have safe and welcoming homes.”
Mary Carroll concluded’ “We all have a moral obligation and the responsibility to lend a helping hand to people who must flee persecution or internal conflict. Empathy knows no borders, and we can all have empathy and understanding for people who have had to flee and rebuild their lives.”
TIRC is on hand to offer support and advice to all refugees as they settle in their new home in Kerry. Please feel free to contact them at 0667121918 or visit www.tirc.ie. Scroll down for photos…
Some of the members of the TIRC Choir singing at the event to mark World Refugee Day. Photo by Dermot Crean
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Guests at the event to mark World Refugee Day. Photo by Dermot Crean
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Guests at the event to mark World Refugee Day. Photo by Dermot Crean
Guests at the event to mark World Refugee Day. Photo by Dermot Crean
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Guests at the event to mark World Refugee Day. Photo by Dermot Crean
Sean Lyons speaking at the event to mark World Refugee Day. Photo by Dermot Crean
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