The Center (formerly the Mohawk Valley Resource Center for Refugees) invites the community to join us to celebrate World Refugee Day on Saturday June 3rd, 2023, from 12:00 to 4:00 PM at Hanna Park at Utica City Hall. An international holiday organized by the United Nations, World Refugee Day provides an opportunity to recognize and honor the courage and resilience of our refugee community. The World Refugee Day celebration will begin with a Citizenship Ceremony at 12pm, where 10 refugees and immigrants will be sworn in as new citizens. This ceremony will be followed by a wide range of activities for the whole family, including culturally diverse music and dance performances, as well as a puppet show and children’s crafts. The Utica Children’s Mobile Museum and Zoomobile will be present, as well as educational displays by the Utica Fire and Police Departments. There will also be food for purchase from a variety of local ethnic food
trucks, and traditional handicrafts for sale from local artisans. Entertainment and educational displays will provide insight into refugee resettlement, the refugee experience, and the
contributions refugees have made to the Utica community.
Businesses or community organizations interested in sponsoring or hosting a table at the event can register through the agency’s website: http://www.thecenterutica.org.
This event is free and open to the public.
Utica’s The Center is a non-profit organization that provides services to refugees, immigrants, and Limited English Proficient (LEP) individuals. The Center’s goal is to help individuals and families achieve independence and self-sufficiency in their new communities. Founded in 1981, The Center has resettled over 17,000 refugees in the Mohawk Valley.
World Refugee Day 2023 celebration announced
