World Refugee Day will feature 18 nations in Pocatello

The first-ever World Refugee Day successful Pocatello will observe section refugees’ cultures and traditions from 5 to 7 p.m. connected Thursday, June 20 astatine Lookout Point.

The arena will person these countries represented: Ukraine, Armenia, Philippines, Mexico, Burkina Faso, Haiti, Ghana, Taiwan, Venezuela, Greece, Ivory Coast, Afghanistan, Poland, Japan, Moldova, Nigeria, Rwanda, and Laos.

Lena Contor, nan organizer down nan event, precocious returned from a work travel to Ukraine wherever she helped administer breadstuff and flour while serving those successful need.

Lena Contor cooking for refugees successful Ukraine.

For Thursday, she is partnering pinch Bridges Idaho, an statement which has contemplated bringing World Refugee Day to Pocatello for a agelong time, arsenic it is often a portion of different larger cities’ yearly events.

World Refugee Day was first established connected June 20, 2001, by nan United Nations. It recognizes those who person fled their countries because of conflict, persecution, warfare and more. Many of nan refugees person travel seeking to unrecorded a amended life. The commemoration puts a look to nan plight of these individuals and shows their resilience and courage.

The desolation of warfare successful Ukraine. | Courtesy Lena Contor

Contor has felt a cosmopolitan nudge telling her she needed to bring it to Pocatello. The time she returned from Ukraine six weeks agone and stepped disconnected nan plane, she began to shape World Refugee Day for Pocatello.

Contor has organized events for Ukrainian refugees successful nan past, arsenic she is intimately associated pinch nan strife and problems successful her homeland. However, she had nary thought wherever to statesman to find group from different cultures successful nan area.

“I was stuck,” she said. “How tin I make it multicultural?”

But erstwhile she reached retired to nan organization to find participants, wrong 3 days her full programme filled pinch performers, group consenting to navigator section cuisine, and others offering games.

“I knew it wouldn’t beryllium canceled because of nan magnitude of group who volunteered,” Contor said.

Dancers show their accepted clothing. | Courtesy Lena Contor

The arena will person accepted foods from 17 countries for group to sample.

Contor and her friend administer fresh, homemade breadstuff successful Ukraine. | Courtesy Lena Contor

“I want group to cognize that this arena will beryllium afloat of information,” Contour said. “Many group mightiness not cognize that these countries person had refugees travel here. We will person booths pinch accusation astir nan demolition and issues these countries are facing.”

Contor is adamant that she wants nan full organization to travel together.

A large portion of taste practice for Ukrainians is their cuisine. Contor believes that group who travel together to stock a sensation of their country, play games, and watch performers, will thief to soften nan edges astir world conflicts and misunderstandings.

Contor hopes that participants will beryllium capable to hide astir nan conflicts surrounding their culture. for nan evening.

More demolition successful Ukraine. | Courtesy Lena Contor

“We are each trying to make a caller location here,” she said. “We will each beryllium connected nan aforesaid ground, learning together. Come person nosy for a fewer hours. We don’t request to bring it pinch us.”

This arena promises nosy for nan full family. The evening will person performances, tastes of different cuisines, games and activities from each complete nan world. Most of nan arena is free, but location will beryllium crafts that tin beryllium purchased from refugees of these countries.

Ukrainian dancers execute successful embroidered clothing. | Courtesy Lena Contor