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Egypt + 8 more

Egypt UNHCR Operational Update, May - June 2017

Attachments

Egypt remains a destination and transit country for refugees and asylum-seekers, most of which live in urban areas.

Currently, 208,398 refugees and asylum-seekers of 63 different nationalities are registered with UNHCR Egypt. Over half are from Syria.

27,766 people have registered with UNHCR Egypt since the beginning of 2017; 9,098 registered in May and June alone.

KEY INDICATORS

13,579
households/cases received multi-purpose cash grants in June 2017

3,153
unaccompanied and separated children are currently registered with UNHCR Egypt

1,083
refugees departed to resettlement countries in 2017

Updates

World Refugee Day 2017

On the occasion of World Refugee Day, UNHCR Egypt with the support of the Arab Cinema Center and the Osman Group, raised awareness of the refugee cause at the Zamalek Cinema in Cairo. The program under the theme "Refugee Voices in Film” included statements by UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Adel Imam, director Amr Salama and Jordanian actress Saba Mubarak, as well as the screening of refugee related films.

During the event, the music video “Law Kan” (“What if”) by the Egyptian band Wust El Balad was launched. The song, created in cooperation with UNHCR, aims at galvanising support for the refugee crisis in Egypt and across the region. Presenter Nardine Farag guided the audience through the program. Guests including celebrities, representatives from the private sector, embassies/donors, film industry and media showed their support to the refugee cause by signing the #WithRefugees petition.

World Refugee Day 2017 took place during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. A World Refugee Day Iftar (breaking the fast) for refugee families was held at Fard Foundation in Cairo in collaboration with UNHCR. Children and parents learned about the culture of other refugee groups through different activities including storytelling, musical performances, and painting workshops, as well as presentations of traditional dresses and decoration. Syrian, Sudanese and Yemeni women participated in a cooking competition coached and judged by Egyptian celebrity chefs, including Wesam Masoud and Moustafa El Refaey, and Syrian actress Kinda Alloush.