We feel it is especially appropriate to launch the national tour of our "A Refugee Camp in the Heart of the City" exhibit in New York, home to thousands of people who have fled violence and persecution in other parts of the world. The launch of this public education initiative represents a major effort on our part to bring attention to the plight of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) worldwide -- issues that we feel are relevant and interesting to New Yorkers. A staggering 33 million people are displaced from their homes today, having fled violence in more than 60 different countries around the world--and the response to their plight remains inadequate. Until conditions improve, we must continue to raise awareness of the challenges faced by populations who have been forcibly displaced. more ›

Doctors Without Borders will be pitching a tent in Central Park this fall. There will be an 8,000 square foot exhibit that looks like a refugee camp placed in Cherry Hill (near Bethesda Fountain) to give an approximation of what's it's like to live in a refugee conditions after disasters. Here's what Doctors Without Borders says:

Guided by MSF aid workers, visitors to this outdoor educational exhibit are asked to imagine that they are among the millions of people fleeing violence and persecution in, for example, Afghanistan, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, North Korea, or Sudan. more ›