St Patrick’s Day campaign offers #greenhope to world’s refugees

– Support #greenhope campaign on March 17 via www.stpatrickschallenge.com –

This St Patrick’s Day communities around Ireland are being urged to back a campaign which aims to offer #greenhope to the millions of people who are forced to flee their homes each year.

According to recent figures:

# 65 million people were forcibly displaced in 2015 – if these people were a nation, they would make up the 21st largest country in the world

# more than 21 million people became refugees – just over half of whom are under 18

# And nearly 34,000 people flee their homes every day because of conflict and persecution.

The ‘St Patrick’s Day Refugee Challenge’ campaign is the brainchild of Ammado, the world’s only global online donations platform with Irish operations in both Dublin and Belfast.

Funds raised through the St Patrick’s Day Refugee Challenge will go to support the work of international NGOs including: International Rescue Committee; Concern Worldwide; Techfugees, Oxfam; Caritas; and Save the Children amongst others.

Ammado CEO and Irish entrepreneur Peter Conlon said: “Because of the global refugee crisis, we have decided – together with some of the world’s leading NGOs – to undertake a global fundraising appeal leading up to St Patrick’s Day and beyond?.

“Our aim is to both support those who work with refugees on the ground and also to showcase the contribution of all refugees in building countries and societies around the world.”

St Patrick’s Day on March 17 is a global event celebrated by more than 70 million people within the Irish diaspora and millions more who become ‘Irish for the day’.

Mr Conlon said: “We’re urging people celebrating Irish heritage to think of our history and the refugee crisis which occurred during the Famine years. We are supporting those going through the same plight that the Irish faced many years ago, and are encouraging people around the world to donate or start a fundraiser on behalf of agencies supporting refugees.”

For further information about the St Patrick’s Day Refugee Challenge and to donate log on to www.stpatrickschallenge.com or use the hashtag #greenhope on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Follow the campaign on facebook.com/stpatrickschallenge; Instagram @stpatrickschallenge and Twitter @stpatrickschall

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