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New arrivals at Traiskirchen
Camp, near Vienna. Within three months, 200,000 Hungarians
had escaped to Austria and Yugoslavia.
© UNHCR 3/UN 51983 |
Fifty
years ago last week, in 1956, a student demonstration in the
Hungarian capital Budapest triggered one of the tensest periods
of the Cold War, as well as a remarkable international response
to the ensuing refugee crisis. The world's quick reaction set
the standard for how future generations of refugees all across
the world have been helped during crisis and exile.
By
the time the Hungarian borders were sealed, a total of 200,000
had fled to neighboring countries.
Within
days of the start of the exodus, an extraordinary operation
sprang up in Austria, not only to care for the refugees, but
to move them to countries where they would eventually establish
new lives in safety and freedom. In the end, 180,000 were resettled
from Austria and Yugoslavia to 37 countries, with nearly 40,000
arriving in the United States.
One
of the most well-known Hungarian refugees whose story is an
inspiration to refugees and immigrants everywhere is Andrew
Grove, co-founder of Intel Corporation. Grove told UNHCR, "I
am fortunate I got out and have been able to live in a country
that accepted me and gave me the opportunity to achieve, and
to build a first class technology company."
The
Hungarian refugee crisis is explored in depth in the current
edition of Refugees
magazine (No. 144), where you can also read more about
Andrew Grove's flight from Hungary to freedom in the U.S. View
a special collection of archive photographs of the 1956 refugee
crisis.
2. News
to use in the classroom
Ethiopia: US-bound
teen dreams of helping his native Sudan despite identity crisis
Deng Duot flew out of Ethiopia for a new life in the
United States late last month, but the 16-year-old Sudanese
refugee felt like he was going into exile for the first time
in his life.
Tanzania: United
States to open doors to thousands of Burundian refugees
In a major breakthrough for Burundians stuck in limbo in
Tanzanian refugee camps, the United States has agreed to resettle
up to 13,000 of them under a UNHCR resettlement program.
Mexico: Refugee
children in Mexico inspire a book to fight prejudice
Their eyes wide with anticipation, more than 40 children,
both refugees and Mexicans, sat down on the floor as the storyteller
began to read: "This is the story of Yaro and his family
... about them leaving their home because of the war, and how
they came to Kipatla to start a new life...."
Thailand: In
search of freedom, Burmese refugees head for new life in America
Burmese-language teacher trainer Liner Shua was a beloved
figure in a camp for Karen refugees from Myanmar. So on the
day the 50-year-old refugee left with his family for a new life
in the United States, dozens of his current and former students
turned out to see him off with songs, prayers, smiles and plenty
of tears.
3.
Update to Teachers' Corner website
Teachers'
Corner has been recently updated to include UNHCR
Facts and Figures, a basic overview of refugees and
displaced people and how UNHCR helps them.
Don't
forget to order your free DVD, Utica: The Town that Loves
Refugees. Place
your order and download the Utica lesson plan online.
Sign up another teacher
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for the classroom and download free lesson plans, please visit Teachers'
Corner.
