World Refugee Day June 21
June 21 marks another World Refugee Day with little progress on tackling the root problems: climate change, political upheaval, wealth disparity.
As of 2026, nearly 42 million people have been forced to flee their homes.
Every day, refugees contribute to the communities that have welcomed them — as workers, students, neighbours, artists, athletes, entrepreneurs and leaders. Given the opportunity, they rebuild their lives and help strengthen the societies around them.
Fleeing home to seek safety is one of the hardest choices anyone can make. I know that from personal experience. But while a person may, for a time, be defined as a refugee, becoming a refugee should not define a person’s life.
Refugees have been forced to abandon their homes, but they should never be forced to abandon their hope: for a safe place to live, for the opportunity to study, for the chance of decent work.
But the unacceptable reality is that millions of refugees today find themselves trapped in dependency, relying on a dwindling amount of aid for their daily survival. Humanitarian assistance remains indispensable, and UNHCR will continue to deliver life-saving support in emergencies. It saves lives, but it cannot be the endpoint. For too many, what begins as an emergency becomes years — sometimes decades — of waiting.
This must change. Refugees need more than protection from danger; they need opportunities to rebuild their lives with dignity. Being a refugee is meant to be a temporary condition, not a lifelong fate. https://www.unhcr.ca/news/on-world-refugee-day-the-promise-of-safety-and-dignity-must-be-renewed-for-a-new-generation/
‘Kypriotaki’ (little Cypriot)
The Girl behind barbed wire
Cyprus 2023
Woodcut by A. Tassos
‘Kypriotaki’ (little Cypriot) has appeared yearly as part of Cyprus’ annual stamp program, with money raised from the sale going to helping refugees.
“For 49 years a tearful child, curled up in front of the barbaric barbed wire fence of shame has accompanied every parcel we send through the Post Offices in and outside Cyprus while sending to the whole world the message of the ‘Nightmare’ that appeared and the ‘Medes’ that crossed the 20th of July 1974 bloodying the sacred soil of our homeland,” Christos Zanettou, Mayor Ayia Napa
Refugee stamp exhibition opens in Ayia Napa | Cyprus Mail (cyprus-mail.com)
The stamp uses a woodcut by renowned Greek engraver and sculpture A. Tassos. Since the Turkish invasion in 1974, a refugee tax stamp has been issued to remember the war and raise funds. The first iteration of the tax stamp appeared September 12, 1974.
Prior to the 1974 invasion Cyprus used an earlier release overprinted with “REFUGEE FUND”
Wood Carving of St. George and the Dragon
Issued by Cyprus in 1971 with overprint
By 1974 a new stamp was requested, on that specifically reflected the trauma refugees were experiencing in the aftermath of the Cyprus invasion. It was decided to use photographer Bambis Avdellopoulos photo of crying mother and child fleeing to safety.
This second stamp remained in use until 1977. For some reason it’s often titled “Old woman and child” which downplays the images impact. In 1977 a new design replaced the Avdelopoulos stamp – The Girl behind barbed wire – and is the one deeply rooted int Cyprus’ memory.
From 1977 to 1984 the only change to the stamp was the inclusion of a small date in one of the corners. In 1984 the price was changed to 1c and reissued. Further changes were made in 1988 that shifted more focus on the image with a darker grey framed background. As well, the date 1974 became part of the overall design.
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