This year marks the 18th year of celebrating International Migrants Day on December 18th. It was appointed by the General Assembly of the United Nations in December 2000 as an international recognition of the increase of migrants worldwide–from 175 million in 2000 to 244 million in 2015 (1). Two thirds of the migrant population reside in Europe and Asia (76 million in Europe and 75 million in Asia) (1). According to Days of the Year, “International Migrants Day is observed throughout many countries, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations through the spread of information on human rights and fundamental political freedoms of migrants, and through sharing of experiences and the design of actions to ensure the protection of migrants”. The theme this year is Migrating #WithDignity because of the estimated deaths of 3,400 refugees and migrants (1). The purpose of this day is to highlight the contributions many of our migrants bring to our countries, a show of respect for all human lives, and to encourage treating all migrants kindness, dignity, and love (2). Our Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, comments on migration as: “the powerful driver of economic growth, dynamism, and understanding. It allows millions of people to seek new opportunities benefiting communities of origin and destination alike” (1). On this day you can share stories and posts about Migrants day and use the hashtah #withdignity to show your support for this holiday.
You can also read our post about how homelessness impacts some migrants here in the US by clicking here or visiting our recent posts.
