Jesuit Refugee Service and the Washington Office on Latin America are pleased to invite you to a discussion
Out of the Shadows : Serving, Protecting, and Defending the Rights of Colombian Refugees in Ecuador
Featuring:
Guillermo Rovayo
National Director of the Jesuit Refugee and Migration Service in Ecuador
Thursday, March 26, 2009
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA)
1666 Connecticut Ave. 4th floor
Washington, DC
Please join Guillermo Rovayo, the National Director of the Jesuit Refugee and Migration Service in Ecuador, for a discussion and strategy session on how to address the concerns and challenges facing the Colombian refugee population in Ecuador, on March 26th at 2:00 at WOLA. JRSM-Ecuador offers a diverse range of legal, psycho-social, integration, and educational services to the refugee community within Ecuador’s borders. Guillermo is the author and coauthor of a diverse compilation of educational materials and reflection papers focusing on the needs and concerns facing the refugee community in Ecuador.
The Colombian refugee crisis in Ecuador is the largest refugee crisis in our hemisphere – and the number of Colombian refugees in neighboring countries is the third largest refugee crisis in the world. JRS is one of the oldest international NGOs serving the Colombian refugee population in Ecuador. How can we work to encourage more humanitarian action on the ground? What are the possibilities for fully addressing food security, psychosocial, educational and integration needs for this neglected population? As the violence in Colombia spills over the Ecuadorian border, what measures should be taken to preserve humanitarian space and promote security for both the refugee population and the host community?
Guillermo Rovayo remarks will be in Spanish, with interpretation into English available.
To RSVP, please contact Rachel Robb at rrobb@wola.org or (202) 797-2171 by March 25th.