World Refugee Day Message from JRS International

As human beings, we are at the mercy of nature, at the mercy of governments, at the mercy of leaders, at the mercy of war. We are at the mercy of forces beyond our control. These forces have caused an unprecedented 60 million people  – mothers, fathers, sisters and children – to flee their homes. Imagine the entire country of Italy in motion: taking trucks, rafts, footpaths and trains; taking children, blankets, clothing and, most often, taking nothing.
Refugees in motion eventually must stop, and when they do, they change. As the fabrics of society change, host communities change too. So many people are forced to flee from war, persecution and oppression. But we as humanity also seem to be fleeing from each other. Content with a comfortable sense of normalcy, we fear change. However, change does not mean carelessly tossing ourselves into the unknown. It rather means choosing how we want to positively reshape our societies through positive encounter with our neighbours.
We need to reinvent our way of being together. We must show mercy to and accept one another, and this act of mercy must be mutual. Mercy is not passive, but active and concrete. Opening doors is a first step, but it is not enough if the house is not welcoming.
A new country provides refugees with protection from danger, but that is not where the responsibility to protect ends. In addition to upholding our international obligations to protect people, we must provide one another safety from all evils: from poverty, isolation, misconception, exploitation and neglect.
To truly protect refugees, we must provide them with not only a space to stay, but an opportunity to grow. Access to quality education allows refugees better to fulfil their own potential and fully contribute to the growth, strength and stability of communities. Knowledge is the one thing that no war or disaster can seize.
Pope Francis said addressing refugees, “for every one of you can be a bridge that unites distant peoples, that makes possible the encounter between diverse cultures and religions, a way to rediscover our common humanity.”
Host communities across the globe must guarantee that refugees do not lose their fundamental right to learn. Let’s educate ourselves in the highest sense and learn from one another. We must genuinely open ourselves, our minds and our communities to unlock our potential as a society. This World Refugee Day, let’s take the opportunity to mobilise our compassion and put our Mercy in Motion.

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