Norway.org, Norway
Oct 5 2004
News
Following in the footsteps of Nansen
Norway congratulates the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (HCR) on
50 years of outstanding service to the world.
News of Norway, issue 1, 2001
Issues related to refugees have been important to Norway since
Fridtjof Nansen was appointed as the first Commissioner of the UN
committee from 1922. He helped to repatriate prisoners of war from
World War I, Russian peasants fleeing famine and revolution and
Greeks, Turks and Armenians uprooted by ethnic conflict.
The Nansen Passport, the first ever internationally recognised
document for refugees, was an initiative designed to give practical
support to those unable to return home. It illustrates the
combination of compassion and diplomatic acuity that enabled Nansen
to set refugee issues firmly on the global agenda. And it was backed
up by action when Nansen persuaded countries to accept quotas of
refugees and support them in their efforts to build a new life in
peace.
Norway – key contributor
‘I congratulate UNHCR for their efforts. The only sad thing is that
the world still, as when the HCR was started, needs an organization
such as this one. Originally, we hoped it would only be needed for a
few years,’ said Jagland.
Norway is one of the key contributors to the organization with an
annual contribution of $37 million, and an extra $2.75 million given
directly to the High Commissioner’s office.
In 1947 several Norwegian voluntary organisations joined forces and
established an umbrella organisation which in 1953 was named the
Norwegian Refugee Council. In response to new refugee situations, the
Norwegian Refugee Council established in the early 1990s a roster of
expert personnel to assist the UN on short notice in its efforts to
quickly be present in refugee emergency situations around the world.
No cause for celebration
Marking its 50th anniversary, the UN refugee agency declared that
while its longevity is nothing to celebrate, the courage and
contributions of the world’s millions of refugees deserve everyone’s
respect.
‘UNHCR’s 50th anniversary is, in itself, no cause for celebration,’
said High Commissioner Sadako Ogata, who after a 10-year term is now
replaced by Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland.
‘In fact, our longevity is a reflection of the international
community’s failure to prevent prejudice, persecution, poverty and
other causes of conflict and displacement, so we are marking this
anniversary year by highlighting the courage and contributions of
millions of refugees around the world,’ Ogata said during a news
conference in Geneva.
With a staff of more than 5,000 people in 120 countries, UNHCR
currently cares for 22.3 million refugees and displaced peoples in
some of the most difficult and dangerous places on earth. The UNHCR
has twice won the Nobel Peace Prize for its efforts on behalf of the
displaced.
Raising public awareness
To mark its 50 years of work, UNHCR supporters worldwide are holding
a series of events over the next 6 months focused on promoting
respect for refugees. The agency has launched a global public
awareness campaign featuring several prominent former refugees in
print and television spots.
The anniversary events will culminate in a sound and light show at
the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor on June 20, which has been
designated by the UN General Assembly as the first World Refugee Day.
Ms. Ogata will award one of five Nansen medals being given this year.
The Nansen medal is an annual award given by the UNHCR for
contributions to the refugee cause. Describing the award’s objective
at the first Nansen Medal Award ceremony in 1955, High Commissioner
van Heuven Goedhart said: ‘It is our deepest hope that this annual
ceremony will not only keep alive the memory of the greatest man who
ever served the cause of refugees, but also draw attention to the
problems he confronted and the energy with which Nansen sought to
overcome them.’
Gallery of Prominent Refugees
In recognition of the UNHCR’s anniversary, a ‘Gallery of Prominent
Refugees’ is on display at the UNHCR-50 Foundation web site. The
gallery showcases more than 100 current and former refugees who have
achieved special status within a community.
In recognition of the importance of education to refugees, the High
Commissioner used the 50th anniversary to launch the Refugee
Education Trust (RET), an independent fund created to provide
post-primary education to young refugees in developing countries. The
RET will be the lasting legacy of the 50th anniversary year.