Boursa Kuwait reaffirms its commitment to the UNHCR and its mandate to support refugees around the world on World Refugee Day 2023

Company contribution to UNHCR helped more than 1500 families to date

Kuwait City - 20 June 2023: Boursa Kuwait lit up its office building in blue on June 20, 2023, commemorating World Refugee Day and aligning with its efforts to support humanitarian causes and make a difference and positive impact in the community.

World Refugee Day is an international day designated by the United Nations to honor refugees around the globe, celebrating the strength and courage of people who have been forced to flee their home country to escape conflict or persecution. Falling on June 20 of every year, it is an occasion to build empathy and understanding for the plight of refugees and recognize their resilience in rebuilding their lives. This year, World Refugee Day focuses on the power of inclusion and solutions for refugees, with the theme of “Hope away from Home”.

Commenting on the occasion, Mr. Naser Meshari Al Sanousi, Senior Director of Marketing and Communication at Boursa Kuwait, said: “On World Refugee Day, Boursa Kuwait joins the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, supporting the agency’s efforts to help over 110 million refugees and internally displaced people across the globe, who have been forced to flee their homes because of wars and conflicts in countries like Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan, Sudan and many other places around the world.”

On the occasion, the company also announced that it would continue to support initiatives launched by the UNHCR. The company has been an advocate of the UNHCR and has supported the Agency’s efforts to make a difference in the lives of refugees and the internally displaced. Over the past few years, Boursa Kuwait has contributed to the annual Winterization Assistance Program as well as the educational program for the children of refugees and internally displaced people among other initiatives.

This year, the exchange is supporting the emergency efforts in Sudan, where large numbers of civilians have been forced to flee following the outbreak of armed conflict, including people who were already internally displaced because of previous conflicts in Sudan and refugees from other countries who had sought safety in Sudan. In addition to new internal displacement, over 450,000 people, including Sudanese refugees and refugees of other nationalities hosted by Sudan have fled Sudan to neighboring countries or returned home in adverse circumstances – notably to Chad, South Sudan, the Central African Republic, Egypt and Ethiopia.

Boursa Kuwait’s partnership with the UNHCR is the embodiment of the company’s sincere desire to raise awareness of the importance of helping those who are in need and have been deprived of their right to live with dignity. This initiative will contribute to greater awareness of the importance of helping the victims of wars, conflicts and persecution build better futures for themselves.

Al-Sanousi added: “Boursa Kuwait values its strategic partnership with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees and has supported the UN Refugee Agency’s projects and initiatives over the past three years. The company believes it has an important role in achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. On World Refugee Day, I would like to invite our partners in the private sector to join us in support of solutions to the refugees’ plight”.

The initiative forms part of Boursa Kuwait’s efforts to create a lasting meaningful impact on the community as part of its Corporate Sustainability strategy and is in line with Goal 1 – No Poverty, Goal 2 – Zero Hunger, Goal 3 – Good Health and Well-Being, Goal 4 – Quality Education, Goal 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation, Goal 10 – Reduced Inequalities and Goal 17 – Partnership for the Goals - of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

UNHCR Representative in Kuwait Ms. Nisreen Rubaian welcomed Boursa Kuwait’s support of the agency and its mandate, saying, “World Refugee Day aims to shed light on the plight of refugees and the internally displaced worldwide, falling every year on June 20. This year’s theme of “Hope Away From Home” stresses the importance of the inclusion of refugees into the societies in which they were adopted, giving them an opportunity to become contributors and helping them rebuild their lives. I would like to thank Boursa Kuwait for partnering with the UNHCR and supporting the Commission’s efforts in making a difference in the lives of over 1500 refugee families over the past three years, and would like to hail the exchange’s contribution to the field of education for all parties, specifically unaccompanied children,?and look forward to more collaboration in the future.”

Boursa Kuwait’s Corporate Sustainability strategy stipulates ensuring initiatives apply and fall in line with the company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR), industry best practice standards and investor expectations, creating strong and sustainable partnerships that ultimately achieve success and allow Boursa Kuwait to leverage the capabilities and strengths of other companies or organizations that have experience in different fields, and integrating sustainability efforts with the company culture, to achieve longevity and an ongoing impact that is carried on and instilled in the day-to-day operations of the stock exchange.

As part of the strategy, Boursa Kuwait has launched many initiatives in partnership with local and international organizations, focusing on support for nongovernmental organizations and charity programs, financial literacy and capital market awareness, the empowerment of women, as well as environmental protection.