20 June 2011 – A dozen returnees and internally displaced persons business success stories were presented today in Sarajevo at the World Refugee Day humanitarian Bazaar organized by the UNHCR. “Here we have ten best examples of returnees in BiH who received UNHCR’s assistance in various forms to launch smaller or larger businesses that are now their source of income,” UN Volunteer serving as the UNHCR Reporting Officer Mina Jasarevic told media.

At the booths placed in front of the Sarajevo Cathedral, citizens were informed about problems facing refugees and IDPs and had a chance to buy various products including cheese, fruit and vegetables, buckwheat and textiles.

United Nations Volunteers joined UNHCR staff at the Bazaar providing information about the UNV programme and volunteer opportunities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Last year, a total of 1,010 UN Volunteers worked with UNHCR in 76 countries around the world, including Afghanistan, the Balkans, Colombia, Ecuador, Iraq, Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Sri Lanka and Timor-Leste.

UNHCR estimates that there are currently 40 million refugees throughout the world who were forced to leave their homes because of war, prosecution and terror. More than half million refugees from Bosnia and Herzegovina live abroad, while 113,000 people are still registered as internally displaced persons. Out of that number, 8500 IDPs leave in very poor circumstances in 158 camps.

“It is high time for a solution to be found and to finally resolve the issue of displaced persons in Bosnia and Herzegovina.  Only then we could say that the war really ended and that we’ve laid foundation for real peace and development in this country,” said UNHCR Representative in BiH Naveed Hussain. On this occasion, he also urged representatives of authorities in the country to implement revised strategy for implement of the Annex VII of the Dayton Peace Agreement.

“One refugee without a hope is too many”
World Refugee Day was (WRD) established under the December 2000 decision of the United Nations General Assembly and it is being marked annually on June 20th. In the context of the celebration of UNHCR’s 60th anniversary, , WRD was marked throughout the world with numerous and diverse events including a launch of 6-month multimedia campaign “One”.

UNHCR wants to use the occasion of its anniversary to increase awareness about the forcibly displaced and stateless by telling their powerful personal stories. The campaign’s message is that "One Refugee Without Hope is too Many."

The agency's partners, including governments, donors, non-governmental organizations, Angelina Jolie and other UNHCR Goodwill Ambassadors, will be doing their part to help, and refugees in camps and urban centres around the world participated in festivities.

To learn more about WRD events worldwide and how you can support the One campaign, click here.