EXHIBITS
ENGL 6750, Summer 2015: Voices: Burmese Muslims in Cache Valley, Utah: Introduction
Refugee, noun.
A person who has been forced to leave his or her home and seek refuge elsewhere, especially in a foreign country, from war, religious persecution, political troubles, the effects of a natural disaster, etc.; a displaced person.
-Oxford English Dictionary, "Refugee," 1b [1]
The United Nations Refugee Organization records that there are 16,700,000 refugees in the world and 33,300,000 internally displaced persons (people who have been forced to leave their homes, but have not left the country). Every day, an additional 32,200 people are forced from their homes, to leave everything behind, and to flee somewhere new and unfamiliar. [2]
According to the U.S. Department of State, 70,000 refugees entered the United States in 2013. [3] Some of these refugees are assigned to Utah, and some relocate to Cache Valley. A number of Burmese Muslims have settled in Logan, either permanently or temporarily.
The driving force behind the Cache Valley Refugee Project (CVRP) is to help generate awareness within the wider community. By sharing their stories, others may come to understand their trials and struggles as refugees, as well as their triumphs and goals for the future to create a stronger community in Cache Valley, Utah.
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[1] “Refugee.” Oxford English Dictionary. Accessed 2 June 2015.
[2] “Facts and Figures About Refugees.” UNHCR: The UN Refugee Agency. UNHCR. n.d. Web. 2 June 2015.
[3] “FY13 Refugee Admissions Statistics.” US Department of State. The Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, 1 July 2014. Accessed 2 June 2015.