{"id":513,"date":"2024-12-18T14:39:47","date_gmt":"2024-12-18T14:39:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/prosper-bsr.eu\/?page_id=513"},"modified":"2024-12-23T15:17:14","modified_gmt":"2024-12-23T15:17:14","slug":"the-festival-cultural-rhythms-in-vilnius-celebrated-world-refugee-day","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/prosper-bsr.eu\/?page_id=513","title":{"rendered":"The festival “Cultural Rhythms” in Vilnius celebrated World Refugee Day\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The festival “Cultural Rhythms”, Vilnius<\/div>\n\n\n\n
On June 20th<\/sup> the free open-air music festival “Cultural Rhythms” in Vilnius celebrated World Refugee Day with performers from eight countries. The festival was born last year from the idea that different cultures have their own unique rhythms that reflect their traditions, experiences and self-expression and aims to celebrate the contribution, creativity and perseverance of refugees and asylum seekers and to promote public awareness.<\/div>\n\n\n\n


World Refugee Day was started on June 20, 2001, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Convention on the Status of Refugees. The Convention defines a refugee as a person who has left his\/her home and country due to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership of a particular social group. Many refugees are also forced to leave their homes due to natural or war disasters. It is estimated that 20 people leave their homes every minute around the world, fleeing war, persecution or terror.  <\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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June 20th<\/sup> is intended to draw attention to the major challenges faced by people who had to leave their homes. Also emphasize their rights and dignity, increase empathy and understanding towards them. This day is considered one of the occasions to call on societies to look at refugees not as an abstract threat, but as people with individual stories whose integration creates more diverse and tolerant societies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“World Refugee Day is a special day to draw attention to the plight of refugees around the world and celebrate their strength and courage. These people’s journeys are often long and dangerous, but their quest to find safety and a better life is a remarkable example of endurance. Let’s make this day a celebration where we also celebrate our ability to be welcoming, empathetic and open to each other. World Refugee Day is a reminder that despite our different places of origin and cultures, we are all united by common values \u200b\u200band humanity,” says Deputy Minister of Social Security and Labor Justina Jakstiene.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The festival\u2019s “Cultural Rhythms” music stage welcomed exceptional and inspiring performers to hear their music and stories from different cultures. \u201cThe World Refugee Day celebration is not only important for the newcomers to Lithuania \u2013 refugees, asylum seekers \u2013 but also for our society: to show how many different people with their own unique cultures and traditions are living here, and how that enriches us. World Refugee Day is a catalyst that brings cultures together in a very sensitive way and empowers everyone\u2019s voices, everyone\u2019s story,\u201d says Aiste Ulubey, the founder and director at Artscape<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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“Everyone can create and celebrate an open society, and the Refugee Day celebration is already becoming significant not only for people newly arrived in Lithuania and people who are establishing themselves in our country – refugees, asylum seekers, but also for our society. There are so many different personalities around us with unique culture and traditions that enrich us. Vilnius residents and guests of the city discover our festival, which carries a unique message”, says A. Ulubey.  <\/div>\n\n\n\n


The festival stage welcomed 7 performances created by 17 musicians from very diverse backgrounds: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Musician and singer Yusuf Suleiman<\/strong> presented himself as a representative of the Uyghurs. As a musician he experiments with both traditional and modern musical instruments, and as a singer he is well versed in Uyghur folk and pop music. As a Uyghur and a well-known musician, Yusuf faced threats, harassment and possible illegal deportation from Turkey back to China.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n