Jan Underwood (left) and Angie Chinguwo, both with Central Alberta Refugee Effort. (rdnewsNOW/Josh Hall)

By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

chance to learn

Red Deer event to celebrate World Refugee Day

Jun 20, 2019 | 6:26 PM

Local advocates say World Refugee Day is about celebrating what newcomers offer our communities.

A free public event is being held this Saturday from 4-7 p.m. at Gaetz United Memorial Church’s Pioneer Hall to mark the occasion, and includes an ethnic community dinner.

Angie Chinguwo, a public awareness coordinator with Central Alberta Refugee Effort (CARE), says it’s important to interact with and get to know refugees before making judgement.

“We kind of want to sit in our comfort zone, we dont want to step out, so this is an open invitation for people to try something different,” says Chinguwo, a refugee herself, originally from Zimbabwe.

“Often times we make assumptions or have preconceived notions and we don’t want to see what’s out there, but if you open up your heart and you’re open to new learning, you’ll be surprised.”

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Jan Underwood with CARE says many newcomers are citizens who contribute to society.

“We’ve got a couple people answering questions about their experience here (during the event), what services they accessed and what they’re doing now,” she says. “I think that will be enlightening for people who think newcomers are just coming and using government money like you hear on Facebook. They’re productive members of the community.”

Underwood says refugees are given roughly the equivalent of social assistance for a year because often they are not prepared to enter the workforce right away.

Red Deer continues to see rising refugee numbers, which Underwood estimates around 800 which enter the community yearly, and from many different countries.

“It boils down to if you say hello to your neighbour who just moved in, and do you smile? If they don’t feel welcome, they’re not going to integrate.”

More information on the World Refugee Day event happening in Red Deer this weekend is on Facebook.