2020 Celebration

Enjoy last year’s celebration as you watch videos with stories, performances, speakers, cooking, artwork, and more! Scroll down for all the content from our 2020 World Refugee Day Celebration.

WRD: 8:00 AM Kick Off

WRD: 10:00 AM Sharing Stories

WRD: 12:00 PM Global Lunch

WRD: 1:00 PM Get Creative

WRD: 3:00 PM Celebrating Pittsburgh’s Refugees

WRD: 6:00 PM Celebration Wrap Up

 Pittsburgh Loves refugees

Organizing Partners

World Refugee Day Pittsburgh is a joint effort of several organizations throughout the city. Led by Pittsburgh’s resettlement agencies, Jewish Family and Community Services (JFCS) and Acculturation for Justice, Access, and Peace Outreach (AJAPO), the city has been celebrating this event for many years. JFCS and AJAPO are joined by All for All, ARYSE, Center for Hearing & Deaf Services – PLAN, Hello Neighbor, Global Wordsmiths, Literacy Pittsburgh, Red Cross Greater Pennsylvania, and South Hills Interfaith Movement (SHIM) in planning, organizing, and putting on the event.

staff from organizing partners
JFCS

JFCS serves the Greater Pittsburgh community supporting people through all of life’s changes and challenges. In addition to hosting Pittsburgh’s largest refugee resettlement program helping refugees settle in their new homes, services offered help families overcome food insecurity, professionals find new jobs, immigrants become citizens, vulnerable adults live fulfilling lives, seniors stay independent and community members find healing from trauma and bereavement. Learn more at jfcspgh.org.

AJAPO

AJAPO’s aims to build–together with consumers–an amazing and self-sufficient refugee/immigrant community that contributes economically, socially, and spiritually to the civic life of Greater Pittsburgh and Allegheny County, while sustaining those aspects of their own traditional values and culture that strengthen families. ajapopittsburgh.org

All for All
The All for All Coalition is an immigrant inclusion initiative powered by The Global Switchboard. They aim to connect people, organizations, and communities to actions that build a welcoming and inclusive region for all. Driven by collaboration with community and cross-sector partners, we aim to advance economic opportunity, break down barriers, and further immigrant inclusion across the Pittsburgh region. The All for All Coalition is guided by the Immigrant Community Blueprint, a comprehensive community-designed plan for Allegheny County. All For All
ARYSE
ARYSE supports immigrant and refugee youth to become prepared, engaged, and confident members of the Greater Pittsburgh community. The signature program of ARYSE is Pittsburgh Refugee Youth Summer Enrichment (PRYSE) Academy, a three-week summer program led by high school and college students for refugee and immigrant youth that combines academic classes, creative expression workshops, and civic engagement. arysepgh.org
Center for Hearing & Deaf Services - PLAN

HDS’s Pittsburgh Language Access Network (PLAN) provides spoken language interpreting services to organizations and companies throughout the Greater Pittsburgh region. PLAN

Global Wordsmiths

Global Wordsmiths is a full-service language translation and interpretation services in the Greater Pittsburgh Area with a social mission to improve language access by donating profits and training volunteers. globalwordsmiths.com

Hello Neighbor

Hello Neighbor works to improve the lives of refugees and immigrants by matching them with dedicated neighbors to guide and support them in their new lives. helloneighbor.io

Literacy Pittsburgh
Literacy Pittsburgh creates better lives through learning. Recognized as a national leader in adult and family literacy, Literacy Pittsburgh is the largest provider of adult basic education in Allegheny County. Last year, Literacy Pittsburgh helped 5,100 individuals acquire reading, writing, math, English language, digital literacy and workforce skills so they may reach their fullest potential in life and participate productively in their communities. literacypittsburgh.org
Red Cross of Greater Pennsylvania

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Chapter serves Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Greene, Lawrence and Washington counties. counties, and also functions as the headquarters of the 61-county Greater Pennsylvania Region. Their services include disaster relief, service to armed forces, biomedical donations, training programs, and international services. redcross.org

SHIM

SHIM has been providing food, clothing and services to people in need in Pittsburgh’s southern suburban neighborhoods for around 50 years. Faced with unprecedented new levels of suburban poverty, SHIM is expanding its work to include more neighbors helping more neighbors in need. Together, with teams of dedicated volunteers, donors and partners, we’re working to reduce the devastating effects of suburban poverty among the working poor, unemployed, families, single parents, senior citizens, women, and the high concentration of refugee families in our service area. shimcares.org

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The Food Blog

Amazing recipes from all over the world

Check out these delicious recipes from refugees and immigrants as they share their cultures, stories, and food.

AFGHANISTAN: Aushak

AFGHANISTAN: Aushak

AFGHANISTAN: AushakServings 24 dumplingsReady In: 2hGood For: Side Dish or Main DishIntroduction About this RecipeBy: Sameera Ibrahimi Aushak are dumplings filled with gandana, which is a kind of leek grown in Afghanistan. It can be hard to find in the US, but you can...

EGYPT: Basbousa (Egyptian Semolina Cake)

EGYPT: Basbousa (Egyptian Semolina Cake)

EGYPT: Basbousa (Egyptian Semolina Cake)Servings 10-12Ready In: 1hGood For: DessertIntroduction About this RecipeBy: Yesmina Salib Basbousa is a very popular Egyptian dessert, a traditional Middle Eastern sweet cake. The cake is often cut into diamond or rectangle...

SPONSORED BY

GOLD

Leveler Foundation logo

highmark ahn logos          upmc logo

Thank you to the Leveler FoundationHighmark/AHN, and UPMC for your Gold level sponsorship.

SILVER

Thank you to the Red Cross of Greater Pennsylvania for your Silver level sponsorship.

BRONZE

Thank you to Dollar Bank and Midnight Blue Technology Services for your Bronze level sponsorship.

Contact Us

For more information about World Refugee Day or ways to get involved in supporting your local refugee and immigrant neighbors, contact us here.

Find out more about services offered to refugees and immigrants in Allegheny County

Immigrant Services & Connections (ISAC)