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© Refugee Reception Centre in Rukla |
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2008-07-01
Refugees host Lithuanian authorities and UNHCR in their temporary home
For refugees at the Reception center in Rukla village, located an hour’s drive outside the capital Vilnius, days are spent participating in the integration programme, which means learning the local language and preparing for a new life in a Lithuanian municipality. But on World Refugee Day 20 June, the near 40 inhabitants at the Rukla centre hosted a delegation of politicians and members of parliament, migration and border officials, local authorities and police, media, NGOs and UNHCR to an international food feast. Plates soon ran out as dishes from many corners of the world were served up, such as Chechen dumplings and Uzbek pilaf. The chairman of the Social Services Committee in Parliament and UNHCR’s regional Representative were honoured with a vietnamese mobile.
Lithuanian Red Cross, which is UNHCR’s implementing partner, runs social activities at the reception center and also organised the World Refugee Day event. They had also invited former residents to join in the festivities and share their experiences with the newcomers.
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UNHCR Regional Representative, Hans ten Feld received a self-made souvenir on behalf of the Refugees Reception Centre, which was especially produced by the refugees prior to celebration.
Photo: UNHCR/Arjupin, 2008 |
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Among the center’s residents there are currently fifteen children, among them some unaccompanied minors, and they certainly enjoyed the day, as they took part in various games and entertained with musical performances, including songs in Lithuanian.
Some 124 persons sought asylum in Lithuania in 2007, the majority coming from Chechnya.
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