World Refugee Day 2011: Stories of Finding Refuge

"To all the survivors out there, I want them to know that we are stronger and more resilient than we ever knew. We survived, that should be enough but it isn't. We must work hard to become whole again, to fill our soul with love and inspiration, to live the life that was intended for us before it was disrupted by war and horrors, and help rebuild a world that is better than the one we had just left." 

- Loung Ung, Cambodian-American human rights activist, refugee advocate

Short Film Feature: 

Finding AMERICA from MPD - SI Newhouse School on Vimeo.

In the 1990s, the Bhutanese government ordered more than 107,000 of their own minority citizens to leave their homes. In response, the United Nations founded the Bhutanese Refugee Resettlement Program in 2008, arranging permanent refugee resettlement in seven countries. 

The Koirala family began a new life in America in January 2011, ending their 20-year struggle to find a place to call their own. 

By Matthew Freire

Series of Short Films for World Refugee Day 2011

A young Afghan-Swedish journalist's journey to her country of birth

Where My Heart Beats - Trailer from Chris StPierre on Vimeo.

The story of Buddha from the Bronx

Buddha from Dori Cohen on Vimeo.

FEAR + HOPE

Fear + Hope from The Refugee Art Project on Vimeo.

The many faces of refugees

VISIT their website at www.scottishrefugeecouncil.org.uk/ to know more about their AMAZING work.

Short Film Feature: Iranian, Gay & Seeking Asylum

June 20 is World Refugee Day

June is Pride Month all over the world. Yesterday, the United Nations (UN) through the UN Human Rights Council, after years and years of disagreement and hesitations, has finally adopted a resolution in Geneva, Switzerland to extend the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to the members of the LGBT communities around the world. Thanks to the leadership of Brazil and South Africa along with 39 other co-signatory countries like Argentina, Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Spain, Timor-Leste, UK, and USA just to name a few.

In particular, the historic UN Resolution requests the High Commissioner for Human Rights "to prepare a study on violence and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, and call for a panel discussion to be held at the Human Rights Council (in Geneva) to discuss the findings of the study." 

The U.N. Human Rights Council approved, by a vote of 23 to 19 with three abstentions, a South African text expressing grave and immediate concern about abuses and discrimination suffered by people because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. 
In light of that, here's the story of two Iranian gay men as they start life anew in the U.K. as refugees after their partners were put to death by the Iranian Government because of their sexuality. In Iran, like more than 70 other countries in the world, homosexuality is still punishable by death.

Nominee, Best Short Documentary at the Phoenix Film Festival
Winner, Best LGBT Short Film at The New York Short Film Festival
Directed, Shot, & Produced by Glen Milner

June 20 is World Refugee Day