Dayton, Ohio – Residents of Dayton will soon have an opportunity to learn more about the experiences of refugees and celebrate the many cultures that help make up the city’s diverse community during a special event marking World Refugee Day.
Welcome Dayton will host its annual World Refugee Day celebration on Saturday, June 27, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Main Dayton Metro Library, located at 215 E. Third Street. Organizers say the event is free and open to the public.
World Refugee Day is recognized internationally by the United Nations and serves as an opportunity to honor refugees around the world while highlighting their strength, resilience, and contributions to the communities where they settle.
Event to feature food, performances, and community engagement
The Dayton celebration will bring together residents and refugee communities through a variety of activities designed to encourage understanding and connection.
Attendees can expect conversations, cultural performances, food, and other activities throughout the event. Organizers hope the gathering will provide an opportunity for community members to learn more about refugee experiences while celebrating the diversity that exists throughout the Dayton region.
The event will also include a charitable component. Catholic Social Services of the Miami Valley will be present to collect donations of personal hygiene products for its Refugee Services Program.
According to organizers, the program helps refugees and other newcomers build successful lives in the community by providing assistance with job placement, cultural adjustment, and access to important resources.
Dayton continues welcoming tradition
The event reflects the ongoing mission of Welcome Dayton, an initiative launched in 2011 to support the successful integration of immigrants and refugees into the local community.
Over the years, the program has worked to create opportunities for newcomers while helping strengthen relationships among residents from different backgrounds.
Those efforts earned national recognition in 2017 when the nonprofit organization Welcoming America designated Dayton as the first Certified Welcoming city in the United States.
City leaders and community partners have continued to build on that foundation by supporting programs and events that promote inclusion and cultural understanding.
Organizers say World Refugee Day offers an opportunity not only to celebrate refugee communities but also to recognize the important contributions they make to Dayton’s economy, culture, neighborhoods, and civic life.
As residents gather at the Main Dayton Metro Library later this month, the event is expected to provide a welcoming space for learning, conversation, and celebration while honoring people who have overcome significant challenges to build new lives in the Miami Valley.
Additional information about Welcome Dayton and its programs is available here.
