Community Groups
Do 1 Thing
By Paula Leavy-McCarthy
8, Jun 2012 - 23:09

County Mayo libraries do 1 thing to support refugees.

No one chooses to be a refugee. This World Refugee Day, borrow a refugee book from your local library and show you care!

Castlebar Library will participate in the do 1 thing campaign run by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Office in Ireland to mark World Refugee Day on 20th June. A stand of books, written by or about refugees, will be displayed in Castlebar library for one week around World Refugee Day from Tuesday 19th June to Saturday 23rd June.

County Librarian, Austin Vaughan, says "We are delighted to be involved in this campaign. The whole area of refugees can seem really complicated. The great thing about books is that we become caught up in the story and as we get to know the characters we start to understand just what the experience of being a refugee is really like."

There are lots of refugee books to choose from, including titles for children and adults, fiction and non-fiction, popular novels like the Kite Runner as well as less well-known but equally moving ones like Mornings in Jennin by Susan Abulhawa. Anyone who takes out a refugee title will get a free bookmark with a list of other recommended reads on it.

The do 1 thing campaign asks people in Ireland to take one simple action to show support for refugees and asylum seekers in Ireland and internationally who have fled their homes in the hope of finding safety in another country.

Sophie Magennis, Head of Office at UNHCR Ireland says, "Refugees across the world have shown great courage and resilience in escaping from terrible situations and the do 1 thing campaign is about showing understanding and support. Some of the books highlighted by the do 1 thing campaign are difficult reads, but many of these titles are also testaments to human ingenuity, resilience and strength."

For more information about UNHCR Ireland and the do 1 thing campaign, log on to the UNHCR Ireland website: www.do1thing.ie