World Refugee Day 2025

On World Refugee Day, we honor the courage, strength, and resilience of millions of refugees around the world who have been forced to flee their homes in search of safety and dignity.

Refugees are not just numbers; they are individuals with hopes and dreams, talents, and aspirations. They are doctors, teachers, artists, students, parents, and children who long for a future in which they can live without fear and contribute to the world.

Let this day—and every day—remind us of our shared humanity and our collective responsibility to stand with refugees. By offering compassion, understanding, and action, we can transform their journeys of survival into stories of hope and triumph.

A key initiative of the Foundation is Encourage School, located in Islamabad, Pakistan. Since 2020, Encourage School has provided Afghan refugee girls and boys with a safe place to learn and grow.

Encourage School serves now more than 180 girls and boys, offering them education tailored to their experiences and needs. Four women teachers and two male teachers from the community lead classes where children receive not only lessons in reading and writing but also emotional support and a chance to express themselves creatively.

By providing a safe environment, supplies, and furniture, Encourage School restores dignity and structure in the lives of children. Each day at Encourage is a step toward rebuilding hope for these young learners and their families.

World Refugee Day reminds us that education is not a privilege—it is a fundamental right and a foundation for peace and opportunity. Supporting these children in accessing education is supporting their future—and ours.