Jordan - As part of activities to mark World Refugee Day, in coordination with the Jordanian authorities and UNHCR, IOM Jordan held a series of events for children at Azraq and Za’atari refugee camps in Jordan on Thursday, June 18.

Magic shows and face painting were held on two days in Azraq camp, in partnership with CARE International. The IOM shows took place as part of coordinated celebrations between agencies at camp.

IOM also brought the magic show to Za’atari camp as part of “Kullona” events led by International Relief and Development, as well as providing football kits to a boys’ youth team and transporting girls’ teams for the Za’atari camp football tournament.

20 June will mark World Refugee Day under the theme “Standing Together”. IOM Jordan’s present work with refugees in Jordan focuses on the Syrian refugee population.

The UK Department for International Development (DFID), who funded IOM’s World Refugee Day activities, has been financing IOM in Jordan in support of Syrian refugees since 2013. During this time, IOM has provided safe transport and fit-to-travel assessments to over 460,000 Syrian refugees arriving in Jordan, as well as more than 21,000 shoes to refugees in Azraq camp.

Jeff Tudor from DFID remarked: “We were at the football match in Za’atari camp and it was great to see such excitement amongst the crowds and the players. We are very glad to be able to support World Refugee Day events as part of our broad programme supporting host communities and refugees in Jordan.”

Davide Terzi, Chief of Mission for IOM in Jordan, praised DFID for their support of IOM Jordan: “I would like to thank UK DFID for their generosity and cooperation since 2013 in order to help refugees fleeing conflict in Syria.  Hopefully the activities we put on this week for World Refugee Day brought some joy to those children who have been made refugees by the conflict in Syria.”

For further information, please contact Ben Webster, IOM Amman, Tel: + 962 79132 8603, Email: bwebster@iom.int