United States
On February 13 AMAR partnered with LDS Charities to organize a day-long conference “From Conflict Zones to Communities: Best Practices for Refugee Assistance and Resettlement.” The conference, attended by over 200 people, aimed to broaden understanding of the plight of refugees and displaced persons, and help local charities share best practices on the needs of refugees as they transition to life in a new country.
Throughout the day, several panel discussions took place addressing different aspects of refugee life and resettlement, from the sharing of innovative practices for intervention in the field to integration and success in host communities. Panelists represented a variety of organizations with an interest in aiding refugees, including UNICEF, LDS Charities, the International Rescue Committee, and AMAR Iraq, along with local and state government bodies such as the Refugee Services Office for the State of Utah.
Baroness Nicholson served as keynote speaker for the day, and spoke on the importance of humanitarian response to the global refugee crisis that we face today due to increased violence in the Middle East and other conflicts throughout the world. “The world is full of movement of the poor, the oppressed, weary and the tortured to what they see as safer places and we must welcome them,” she said.
A conference video will be released in the coming month.
Press coverage of the event:
