Jewish communities around the world carry in our hearts a millennia-long history of fleeing persecution and seeking safety. At Pesach Seder tables, we recount the ancient Israelites’ exodus from Egypt. In schools, we teach the horrors of the Holocaust, hoping that history will not repeat itself.
On July 28 2026, we recognise the 75th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention, initially established to provide solutions for the millions displaced in Europe following World War II and the Holocaust. The Convention defines refugees as persons with “a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion.” It guarantees protection of human rights and that refugees shall not be returned to the states where their safety could be threatened.
Click here to read more about the events preceding the Refugee Convention and some of the populations who subsequently used the Refugee Convention when they sought refuge in the UK.
