SSC
World Refugee Day is observed on:
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Answer: Option C — 20 June
Detailed Solution
World Refugee Day is observed every year on 20 June to honour refugees around the world and to recognise their strength and courage.
About World Refugee Day:
- The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on 4 December 2000 to observe it.
- It was first observed on 20 June 2001, the 50th anniversary year of the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees.
- The date 20 June had earlier been celebrated as "Africa Refugee Day" in several African countries.
- It is led by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Who is a refugee:
Under the 1951 Refugee Convention, a refugee is a person who is outside his or her country and cannot return because of a well-founded fear of persecution because of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion.
The key principle of the Convention is "non-refoulement": refugees should not be sent back to a country where they face serious threats to their life or freedom.
The 1967 Protocol removed the time and geographical limits of the 1951 Convention.
About UNHCR:
- It was established on 14 December 1950 by the UN General Assembly.
- Its headquarters is in Geneva, Switzerland.
- It has received the Nobel Peace Prize twice, in 1954 and 1981.
India and refugees:
- India is not a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol and has no specific national law on refugees.
- However, India has hosted large numbers of refugees, such as Tibetans (since 1959), refugees from East Pakistan (1971) and Sri Lankan Tamils.
Other related days:
- International Migrants Day: 18 December.
- International Day of Yoga: 21 June.
- Human Rights Day: 10 December.
- World Humanitarian Day: 19 August.
Why not the other options?
- ✗18 December is International Migrants Day.
- ✗21 June is International Day of Yoga.
- ✗10 December is Human Rights Day.
Quick tip
Remember: World Refugee Day = 20 June (UN 2000, first observed 2001; 1951 Refugee Convention; UNHCR in Geneva, founded 1950); India is not a party to the 1951 Convention.
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Important Days & Dates — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Important Days & Dates, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers national and international days observed through the year, such as National Youth Day, World Environment Day and International Yoga Day, along with the themes announced for them and the events or people they commemorate. Questions ask for the date of a day, the day observed on a given date, or the person it honours (for example, National Sports Day on 29 August marks the birthday of Major Dhyan Chand). Revise days month by month in a calendar format. Themes change every year, so learn the current year's themes from current affairs. Practise the important days questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.