by Ari Snider (Maine Public)
Tuesday, June 21st, 2022
Click here to read article and view the images: https://www.mainepublic.org/world/2022-06-21/portland-celebrates-world-refugee-day-with-multinational-performances
Crowds gathered in Portland and Lewiston on Monday to celebrate World Refugee Day, at a moment when the United Nations counts over 27 million refugees worldwide.
In Portland more than a hundred people mingled in Congress Square Park, listening to music performances, speeches, and readings.
Among those present was Mateeullah Haidari, a former police officer from Afghanistan.
When the Taliban took over last year, Haidari, his wife, and two young daughters were airlifted out of the country by the US military.
Haidari said he is happy to have found safety in the US – and says he’s thankful for events like this where he can make new connections.
"When I came here I met a lot of people here. New people, new friends," he said. "This program is very good."
Here in Maine, Haidari said he faces a new challenge: housing. He and his family have been living in emergency housing in motels for the last eight months, still searching for a more permanent place to settle down.
Congresswoman Chellie Pingree also spoke in Portland, calling the Biden Administration’s plan to admit 125,000 refugees this year is a good first step – but urged the administration to do more.
"There are wars going on all around the world, there is drought, there’s the impact of climate change, we need to be opening our doors and welcoming more people," Pingree said.
Pingree added that Maine in particular stands to benefit from increased immigration, as the state struggles with a worker shortage and has one of the oldest populations in the country.