World Refugee Day

The last weeks have seen much coverage in the media about refugees around various parts of the world - especially the many thousands crossing the Mediterranean from Africa, those losing their lives doing so and the dilemma facing Europe how to cope with the large number of people.

Today, 20 June, is the UN's designated World Refugee Day.

The figures relating to refugees - as at the end of 2011 and heaven knows what they stand at today - are staggering:

"An estimated 43.3 million people worldwide were forcibly displaced due to conflict and persecution.

Among refugees and people in refugee-like situations, children constituted 46 per cent of the population.

876,100 individual applications for asylum or refugee status were submitted in 171 countries or territories.

The number of internally displaced persons, benefitting from UNHCR’s protection and assistance activities, was 15.5 million.

UNHCR identified some 3.5 million stateless people in 64 countries. However, the actual number of stateless persons worldwide was estimated at up to 12 million."

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Mahler's Prodigal Son

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