|
Runway for Hope
Mission Statement
Runway for Hope was created for the purpose of helping
refugees in Asia, particularly refugees in Japan through
luxury Fashion Runway. It is focuses primarily on raising
awareness to the
day-by-day plight these individuals face and steps
governments can take to make their toil easier. However, on
March 11th, 2011, Japan suffered one of the worst natural
disasters the world has ever seen, and with it came the
unfortunate and heartbreaking events that followed. Within
its own borders, Japan now faces great challenges to aid its
own people. In affected areas, individuals lack adequate
shelter, clothing and even food. Runway for Hope cannot
ignore their pain. Seeing the plight of these individuals,
Runway for Hope has begun to put its effort toward helping
Japan’s own internal refugees and internally displaced
persons. Through high end Fashion Runway our mission is to
raise funds, provide assistance and spread a message of Hope
and Love to those in need in this extreme difficult time.
Runway for Hope is prepared to answer the call and dedicate
all its resources to helping make a difference in the lives
of those in need.
はラグジュアリーファッションショーを通じて、アジア、特に日本における難民に関する認知向上そして支援を目的に設立されました。日本を中心に、世界の難民や国内避難民の存在といった世界の様々な諸問題への関心を人々に抱いてもらうことを目的とした団体です。しかし、2011年3月11日の東北地方太平洋沖地震は、私たちの活動の展開を考え直す機会になりました。被災され、家を失った方々。家族、友人と引き離されてしまった方々。思い出の詰まった大切な居場所を追われて生活する彼らといかに向き合うのか。これは私たちが取り組もうとしてきた難民という課題ともつながります。私たちのミッションはラグジュアリーファッションショーを通じて国際問題のイッシューの認知向上、支援の実施、そして「希望」というメッセージを世の中に広めることです。このような活動が、困難な状況にある方々への一助となることを願ってやみません。
A MESSAGE FROM THE FOUNDER
Displacement with Hope: Life as a former Refugee
More than two decades ago at the age of 15, I fled IRAN from
war, persecution and religious discrimination. I spent two
years in a refugee camp in Pakistan from 1985 to 1987. Those
few years as a refugee and serving in a war between Iran and
Iraq have thought me a great deal and indeed terrifying
experience. Having seen brutal and dark side of life by
witnessing how innocent people are suffering each day at the
camp wishing to have simple, peaceful and basic human
rights. Each time I couldn’t ignore but remind myself that
caring organizations such as United Nation High Commission
for Refugees (UNHCR), International Organization for
Migration (IOM) were the ones providing food, shelter or at
least some basic assistance to millions of people around the
globe who are forced to leave their countries due to
tyranny, famine or economic strife and hardship. Indeed,
without these hard working organizations, their assistance
and support my journey and millions of other refugees would
not have been completed.
With all of the adversities I faced searching for a new life
in a
very diverse society CANADA where I was embraced, protected
and supported to continue my journey from 1988 to 1998.
Experiencing IRAN & IRAQ war and a former refugee have been
the major turning point in my life and aspiration to work on
my doctorate degree (Refugees and International Security) at
the University of Cambridge.
My knowledge and background will reveal strong reasons to
have absolute faith and mission to contributing to the
global awareness by setting up a line to assisting people in
hardship today and in the future. With that, forced
migration, refugee movement, Internally Displaced Persons (IDP)
phenomenon are among many global matters that we faced in
the past and must be dealt quite determinedly in 21 century
as well. It is very crucial to create opportunities and
raise awareness among local community on major global
problems.
Sena Vafa
Founder, Chairman
www.runway-hope.org
|