Refugees

The United Nations Refugee Agency defines a refugee as ‘… someone who has been forced to flee his or her country because of persecution, war or violence.’

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Erfan Daliri.

Erfan Daliri

Erfan Daliri was born in Lucknow, India, to Iranian refugee parents. The family migrated to Australia in 1984 and settled in Townsville, Queensland.

Otto and his son Karlies.

Otto Kampe

Otto Kampe, from Latvia, was the 250,000th refugee to arrive in Australia post-World War II.
Vera Marek.

Vera Marek

Vera Marek and her husband Voitre fled Communist Czechoslovakia in 1948, undertaking a dangerous journey to Australia via a displaced persons camp in Germany.
Voitre and Vera Marek with their daughter Olga.

Voitre Marek

Voitre Marek, an artist now with works at the Art Gallery of South Australia and the National Gallery, migrated to Australia in 1948.
Seraphin Nyirenda

Seraphin Nyirenda

Seraphin Nyirenda migrated to Australia from the Democratic Republic of Congo when he discovered his life was in danger due to his political reporting.
Lam Tac Tam and his wife.

Lam Tac Tam

Lam Tac Tam arrived in Darwin as a refugee on a 17-metre fishing vessel in 1976 after fleeing Communist Vietnam.
A Vietnamese war orphan and an Australian friend working at a desk in school.

Operation Babylift

Operation Babylift was the name given to the mass evacuation of children from South Vietnam to numerous countries across the world, including Australia.
A group of 7 men in a displaced persons camp in Italy, smiling at the camera.

Refugees displaced by World War II

In response to the refugee crisis following World War II, the UN formed the International Refugee Organisation in 1946.
Sign reading 'World Refugee Year' with an abstract statue of a family moving towards it.

World Refugee Year 1959–60

The United Nations proclaimed 1959 ‘World Refugee Year’ urging member states to continue to focus on the refugee problem.