Recommended sites

Global Gang: “Every day, children all over the world are forced to leave their homes. Families might flee because of war and fighting, or due to disasters like floods and hurricanes, or because they're afraid of being harmed because of their colour or faith. Sometimes a person will have to leave their own country, so they're called a 'refugee'. Sometimes they will have to move to a different part of their own country, so they're called a 'displaced person'.”

Oxfam Australia: “It is important to know that refugees and internally displaced people have rights:

• The right to humanitarian assistance
• The right to protection from abuse
• The right to seek asylum ”

Waverley School (Sydney) multicultural mural:

Angelina Jolie: “I met with many children who... were wearing clothes full of holes, that were falling off. They have no access to school or medical attention... but when asked what they need, before food and clothes, they said security first.”

Mariam Kwete, a refugee from the Democratic Republic of the Congo: “Our violence is different. We experience discrimination because we are refugees. Prejudice at school, suffering, because our parents don't have any money. There are a lot of different kinds of violence.”

Australian Human Rights & Equal Opportunity Commission: “Human rights are about recognising and respecting the inherent value and dignity of all people.”

Ten-year-old Afghan girl found to be a refugee: “I think that the children should be free and when they are there [in an immigration detention centre] for one year or two years they are just wasting their time, they could go to school and they could learn something. They could be free. Instead they are like a bird in a cage.”

Racism, No Way!: “Racism is destructive. It disempowers people by devaluing their identity. It destroys community cohesion and creates divisions in society. It is the opposite of the democratic principle of equality and the right of all people to be treated fairly.”

Taking It Global: “Almost every country, in every continent, is affected by the global refugee crisis...This is an emergency that demands solutions from the international community.”

Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights: “It is estimated that the number of migrants crossing international borders has grown steadily over the past four decades to an estimated 175 million in 2000. One out of every 35 persons is an international migrant. What are the causes and consequences of such a large scale movement of human beings?”

Taking IT Global: “Behind the endless parade of statistics and staggeringly large numbers, the global refugee crisis has a face, a mouth, eyes, hands...These stories are crucial, and they are here.”

UN Voices of Youth: “Almost 900 million people belong to groups that experienced prejudice as a result of their ethnicity, with 359 million facing restrictions on their religion. Around the world, some 334 million people face discrimination because of their language.”

Global Education: “Imagine being so scared of being killed, tortured or victimised that you would leave your home, all your possessions and connections with your community, for an uncertain future. Fear drives people to leave with only a few belongings on a journey which is full of uncertainty. Will it be safe? Will they be able to return?”

Refugee Council of Australia: “There is a lot of confusion about refugees: not just about who they are but also about the impact they have on Australian life. Here are just some of the myths:
[MYTH] Charity begins at home: we should help Aborigines and other disadvantaged groups in Australia first!
"Charity" is not something that should be considered in terms 'us' and 'them'. If we are being responsible members of the human community we should seek ways to assist all those in need.”

Bullying. No Way!: “Racism is violent; it reduces people's life chances, and it is based on hurting someone else... racist behaviour... includes racist name calling, excluding people from groups, racist graffiti, books with a cultural bias and deliberately using language to exclude people of other cultures.”

Dolma (12) escaped from Tibet over the mountains: “It was really scary and I was afraid the whole time. There were many times I thought I would die. The mountains were full of Chinese soldiers who were looking for refugees. Every time the guides heard the sound of a car or people, they tied us children tightly in rope and lowered us down the mountainside. The guides were Nepalese and pretend they were hiking.”

These sites have ideas on how to make a difference.

Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation (ANTAR): "Do something positive in your school."

Refugees International: "Refugees International advocates for lifesaving assistance and protection for displaced people and promotes solutions to displacement crises."

Diverse Australia Program: "Since Harmony Day began ten years ago, thousands of schools, community groups and organisations across Australia have hosted Harmony Day events."

Refugee Council of Australia: "Read our Advocacy Help Kit online for everything you need to know about advocating for refugees and asylum seekers."

Racism, No Way! Gamesroom: Add your comments to the graffiti wall, also competitions, comics, puzzles, games and a discussion forum.

Bullying. No Way!: "We can cancel out racism if we agree not to accept racist behaviour. Work towards creating a space where all cultures and languages are valued equally."

Office of the Anti-Discrimination Commissioner: "envisions a Tasmanian community which recognises that all people are entitled to respect, dignity and appreciation for their contributions and themselves and where all are accepted for their diverse abilities and strengths."