Declare World Refugee Day

June 20, 2017, as World Refugee Day in the State of New York, in conjunction with the observance of the United Nations World Refugee Day WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to recognize official days that are set aside to increase awareness of issues that affect the lives of citizens of New York State and the world; and WHEREAS, According to the United Nations every minute 24 people leave everything behind to escape war, persecution or terror; and WHEREAS, The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) was established in December 1950 to lead and coordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide; and WHEREAS, The UNHCR has determined that 1.19 million refugees are in need of immediate resettlement; and WHEREAS, Between October 1, 2016 and March 31, 2017, the United States admitted 39,098 refugees, according to the U.S. Department of Temporary and Disability Assistance; and WHEREAS, New York consistently ranks among the top 5 in the Nation for accepting refugees as per Department of State, Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration data; and WHEREAS, The Office of Refugee Resettlement at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has released that International Rescue Committee (IRC), Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS), Church World Service (CWS), Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC), Episcopal Migration Ministries (EMM), United States Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI), Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services (LIRS), United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and World Relief Corporation (WR), some of the organizations responsible for resettling refugees in our community, along with numerous other community organizations and religious institutions have resettled more than 5,028 refugees in New York since October 2015 from more than 40 countries including Afghanistan, Burma, Iraq and Syria; and WHEREAS, It is important to also pay tribute to the dedication of humanitarian workers both domestically and abroad who devote their lives to ensuring that vulnerable people can find a home; and WHEREAS, There continue to be individuals and families in need of refuge and the support of New York State; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim June 20, 2017, as World Refugee Day in the State of New York, in conjunction with the observance of United Nations World Refugee Day; and be it further RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of New York, and Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.