#BlueKey Tweetathon Helps to Raise Awareness of Growing World Displacement Crisis

Because this week is the #PRStudChat ‘Social Good’ session, I wanted to share information about another event for a really good cause.  The #BlueKey Tweetathon is a Twitter event beginning today at 9:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. ET, to help support the USA for UNHCR’s campaign to raise awareness about the refugee crisis and to urge Americans to speak out for refugees.

As a Blue Key Champion, I’m happy to take part in a program that will use Twitter to increase knowledge about a serious issue that needs attention.  Did you know that at the end of 2009, approximately 43.3 million people were forcibly displaced worldwide?  This is the highest number of people uprooted by conflict and persecution since the mid-1990s.

The needs of refugees continue to grow worldwide.  According to the UN Refugee Agency’s Global Trends Report many of those uprooted by conflict within their own country grew by 4 percent to 27.1 million, which is largely the result of persistent conflicts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Somalia. In addition, there are an estimated 26 million people (which breaks down to approximately 10.4 million refugees and about 15.6 million internally displaced persons) who were receiving protection or assistance from the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), an increase of one million people over 2008.  Lastly, among the large number of people displaced by conflict, women and girls represented 47 percent of all refugees and asylum seekers.

If you’d like to get involved, you can join the #BlueKey Tweetathon to raise awareness by following the hashtag on Twitter, as well as the @UNRefugeeAgency handle.  In addition, there are many other Blue Key Champions to follow.  You can check out the participating champions on the UN Refugees Facebook page.  I’m especially excited that “Kite Runner” author Khaled Hosseini’s wife, Roya, will be joining the Tweetathon at 10:00 a.m. Pacific/1:00 p.m. ET.

You can also get the word out about the USA for UNHCR campaign with a few simple tweets:

• For just $5, your #BlueKey could help @UNRefugeeAgency save a life. Get your key today: http://ow.ly/5d4VC
• Did you know that there are more than 43 million refugees worldwide?http://ow.ly/5d54i Your $5 #BlueKey could open a new door for them.
• “Kite Runner” author Khaled Hosseini says “anyone can be a refugee” http://ow.ly/5d59P Your $5 #BlueKey could help change that. Get it today!

I hope you will join in the USA for UNHCR #BlueKey Tweetathon to help spread the word about the refugee crisis, and together through our Twitter communities, we can make a difference.

Get your Blue Key today!