AIISF and Migration Museums Network World Refugee Day Joint Statement

(SAN FRANCISCO, CA - June 20, 2020)  The Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation (AIISF), a member of the Migration Museums Network coordinated by the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience, joins the UNHCR (the UN Refugee Agency) in commemorating World Refugee Day on June 20, 2020.  As our world continues to battle widespread xenophobia and inequalities, in many ways made more manifest by the COVID-19 pandemic, World Refugee Day is an important opportunity to shine a light on the injustices suffered by refugees and migrants as well as their resilience and contributions to new communities.

AIISF Executive Director Edward Tepporn stated, “World Refugee Day and Immigrant Heritage Month provide us all with the opportunity to remember and recognize the diverse experiences and journeys that immigrants across the world have travelled and continue to travel. In the U.S., we also recognize June 19th or  ‘Juneteenth’ as the day that slavery ended. All of these commemorative days can help us continue to increase understanding and empathy for our common humanity regardless of the color of our skin, where we were born, or where we live now. We must all continue working together towards a world where everyone is treated with respect, equity, and kindness.”

As a global network of Migration Museums, all of us come together to stress the importance of amplifying the voices of refugees, preserving their histories, and encouraging our communities to take transformative actions to support them. While we represent vastly diverse groups, cultures, and heritages, the museums in this network embrace our joint responsibility to strengthen and care for each other as global citizens. At a time when hopeful expressions of solidarity with the marginalized are taking hold across continents, World Refugee Day is, too, a global call to action. We encourage everyone to take a step, no matter how big or small, in support of the many steps that refugees take in their journeys to find increased safety for themselves and for their families. Learn more about various events that our participating organizations are hosting in recognition of World Refugee Day by following the hashtag #MigrationMuseums and viewing the network’s latest video at https://www.sitesofconscience.org/en/migration-museums-network/

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Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation (AIISF) raises awareness of the experience of Immigration into America through the Pacific. AIISF collects and preserves the rich stories and personal journeys of thousands of immigrants, and shares them with visitors and everyone living in America through education initiatives and public programs. Angel Island Immigration Station reminds us of the complicated history of immigration in America. It serves as a symbol of our willingness to learn from our past to ensure that our nation keeps its promise of liberty and freedom.

Media inquiries can be made to the Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation’s main office at (415) 658-7691 or info@aiisf.org.