As per decision of the UN General Assembly, June 20 is celebrated as World Refugee Day from 2001 onwards. The General Assembly adopted a resolution to express its solidarity with Africa on December 4, 2000.

The resolution noted that 2001 marked the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Convention relating to the status of refugees, and that the Organization of African Unity (OAU) agreed to have International Refugee Day coincide with Africa Refugee Day on June 20. The Assembly therefore decided that June 20 would be celebrated as World Refugee Day from 2001 onwards. This day was designated by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees to bring attention to the plight of approximately 14 million refugees around the world.

Currently there are about 20 million refugees and 25 million of internally displaced persons registered in the world, the greatest part of which is concentrated in Africa, in conflict zone of Afghanistan, and the Balkans. This makes the problem of refugees one the most burning in the world.

According to expert assessments, there are 360 thous. refugees in Armenia deported from Azerbaijan.