UNHCR supported Istanbul Culture and Art Foundation in organizing a workshop entitled “Your Voice to Mine” as part of the 15th Istanbul Biennial.

UNHCR started contributing to a series of awareness-raising seminars organized by its partner SGDD targeting members of the press.

Thousands of refugees from Myanmar have been admitted to Bangladesh after spending up to four days stranded near the border. By last night Bangladesh border guards reported that over 6,800 refugees had passed through Anjuman Para border village in Cox’s Bazar district. Thousands more are said to be on their way from Myanmar. The most vulnerable among the new arrivals are bussed from the border to a transit centre near Kutupalong camp. At the centre, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and its partners provide food, water, medical checks and temporary shelter.

Since Sunday night, an estimated 10,000 to 15,000 Rohingya refugees have entered Bangladesh through the Anjuman Para border crossing point in Ukhia district in the country’s south-east. Many say they had initially chosen to remain in their homes in Myanmar’s northern Rakhine state despite repeated threats to leave or be killed. They finally fled when their villages were set on fire. The refugees UNHCR staff spoke to yesterday described walking for around a week to reach the Bangladesh border. Some crossed into the country on Sunday night, others throughout Monday in the heat and rain.

UNHCR signs agreements with Ministries of Education in South and West Kordofan states to address critical education gaps.

40-50% of refugees in White Nile state now employed in agriculture following the passing of new regulations lifting livelihood restrictions.

The authorities and UNHCR have identified a site for a transit centre to temporarily host new arrivals before they are allocated a plot in Kutupalong extension. UNHCR is coordinating with partners to set up medical services, sanitation facilities, family reunification, and provision of food and water.

UNHCR identified sites to build five additional health centres, as planned in its emergency response plan. Two centres are under construction and already providing some services, such as outpatient and maternity services. The five health centres will benefit approximately 50,000 patients each, thus covering a total 250,000 refugees.

At least 60,000 Venezuelans are estimated to be disbursed across several countries in the Southern Caribbean, including (but not limited to) Aruba, Curacao and Trinidad and Tobago. Some 370 have registered as asylum-seekers since 2014; followed by Curacao with 70 and Aruba, with around a dozen seeking asylum.

Over 1,500 Venezuelans have applied for asylum in Ecuador. More than 62,000 are estimated to live in the country, of whom some 40% have obtained temporary residence permits.