How to Commemorate World Refugee Day "At Home"
As we are unable to gather together this year, here are a few suggestions of how you can commemorate World Refugee Day 2020.

1. Screen a Refugee Movie:
5 Powerful Refugee Movies on Netflix suggested by

Human Flow (2017)
Human Flow was the “movie of the refugee crisis” as critics often called it. Let me put it like this, you have a friend or a family member who often hears about refugees in the world, sees a diverse community or newly-resettled refugees in your community or neighborhood but who has never understood why people from other countries are welcomed in other places around the world, this is the movie to play on a movie night with him/her.

First They Killed My Father (2017)
Inspired by a book with the same title, written by activist Loung Ung, the movie tackles the issue of forced displacement, child encampment and Internally Displaced People (IDPs). Realized and directed by Angelina Jolie, UNHCR Special Envoy, the movie is a biographical historical thriller of Cambodian activist Loung Ung who was forced to be a child soldier since the early age of 5 during the Communist Khmer Regime.

Beasts of No Nation (2015)
Beasts of No Nation follows the story of Agu, a Nigerian child living in the “buffer zones” which are areas protected by the United Nations from the internal conflict in the country. But this temporary security soon comes to an end when his area gets invaded by the local government, killing families, bombing huts and kidnapping children to be forcibly taken to military training camps. It illustrates the gradual yet fast transition from an innocent playful child to a perpetrator of the war, highlighting the trauma of forced displacement, forced labor and war on the psychology of children.

Born in Syria (2016)
Following the stories of 7 Syrian refugee children in Europe, Born in Syria is one of the rare movies that focus on the whole journey of refugees from home country to local integration in the host country. It follows children by depicting their life in Syria before, during and after the conflict, thus highlighting the traumatizing experiences they have been through in detail.

Refugee (2016)
Refugee is a filmmaker project realized by 5 renowned photographers including Clementine Malpas and Leslie Knott. The photographers travelled the world to illustrate the atrocities of war, political persecution and other root causes of refugee displacement. It also sheds light on the issue of family reunification of refugees in Europe and the effects family separation has on displaced communities in different places.

If you do not have Netflix, but you do have a Toronto Public Library Card you can also access many refugee themed films through Kanopy:

To learn more about Kanopy please click here.

2. Join the 2020 Ride for Refuge:
This fall AURA is once again participating in the Ride for Refuge and we need your help to raise critical funds. Everyone who gets involved is directly supporting refugee newcomers to Canada! We are looking for people to be one of our crucial captains or riders and walkers to join our teams.

If COVID-19 prevents us from getting together like we have in the past there will be virtual options. The RIDE Anywhere option allows for everyone to participate and remain socially responsible, the ride is also adding enhancements to make it more inclusive for folks who want to do non-cycling or non-walking activities. To learn more:

When: Check in the morning of Saturday, October 3, 2020 at 8am at most locations.
Where: 25+ official locations across Canada, plus a ‘RIDE/WALK Anywhere’ option.
How: Get on your bike for a 10, 25 or 50 km ride, or walk on a nice 5 km route.
Cost: You can waive the $25 registration fee and fundraise a minimum of $150.

To learn more:Ride for Refuge 2020

Or to sign-up



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