SCRANTON – Not even stormy skies could keep the joy and energy from the 2025 World Refugee Day celebration from shining through at Nay Aug Park on Sunday, June 22, 2025.
Just hours before the scheduled 2 p.m. start, heavy rain pushed through Scranton, but as if on cue, it stopped just in time for the ninth annual celebration to begin – ushering in a hot, humid afternoon filled with music, dancing, food, and an unmistakable sense of community.
Several hundred people turned out for the event, which brought together families, neighbors, and refugees from across northeastern Pennsylvania to celebrate resilience, culture, and the beauty of diversity under the theme: “A World Where Refugees Are Always Welcomed.”
This year’s celebration was extended by an hour due to its growing popularity. It featured a variety of cultural dance performances, international food, children’s activities and more.
During the event, the Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, offered remarks that reminded everyone present that while the day is a celebration, it is also a moment of reflection.
“Let our prayer today be a simple prayer for peace. Let us pray, let us lift our voices and hearts in prayer for peace in the Middle East, in the Holy Land and in the areas that are facing the reality of war and conflict like never before,” Bishop Bambera said. “Let us also pray for peace at home, and I hope you call Scranton and northeastern Pennsylvania your home because you are most welcome here. May God give you the peace and grace to live in harmony with your families, to work freely for them and for their well-being, and to protect them so that you can work with us so that we can continue to build a community based on love, fraternity and gratitude to God for all that we have been given.”
The Bishop’s message resonated with many in the crowd, especially as refugee families continue to face growing challenges – from navigating immigration systems to accessing housing, employment, and healthcare.
As of the end of 2024, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) reported that nearly 124 million people have been forced to flee their homes globally due to persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations, or events seriously disturbing public order. Among them are nearly 43 million refugees.
“World Refugee Day is an opportunity to honor the strength and resilience to those who have been forcibly displaced,” Julie Schumacher Cohen, Assistant Vice President of Community Engagement and Government Affairs at The University of Scranton, said.
“The reason for this celebration is to let refugees know that we are here to support them and to let them know that they are appreciated and they are our neighbors, and they are welcome in Scranton,” Fikile Ryder, Director of Community for Catholic Social Services, added.
The World Refugee Day celebration brought together more than 25 community agencies that set up tables, offered interactive games and activities, or provided resources or information.
“The diversity is beautiful. From the food to our clothing, to everything you see around us,” Ushu Mukelo from the Congolese Community of Scranton, said. “There is no United States without immigration. There is no United States without refugee resettlement. We help make this country what it is. We work in factories, we pay taxes, we buy property.”
“We are proud to be here,” Chandra Sitaula with the Bhutanese Cultural Foundation of Scranton, added. “Bhutanese are peace lovers. That is why the U.S. Government accepted us as refugees.”
Two proclamations were also read during the event – one from the City of Scranton and another from the Pennsylvania Governor’s Office – both recognizing World Refugee Day and reaffirming a shared commitment to inclusion, dignity, and opportunity for all.
“Refugees and immigrants bring different opportunities and skills into the United States. Their culture, their food, their dancing, it makes the United States richer and more welcoming,” Ryder said.