On July 9, 2016, the Public Defender's Office participated in the event dedicated to the World Refugee Day in the Pankisi Gorge. Locals held a folk concert and sporting events. Representatives of the Public Defender's Office presented child refugees with gifts.

Protection of refugees is one of the priorities of the Public Defender's Office. As of May 2016, 393 refugees and 1010 persons with humanitarian status were registered in Georgia; 234 out of them live in Tbilisi and the Pankisi Gorge. Majority of refugees and persons with humanitarian status are from the Russian Federation, Iraq, Ukraine and Syria.

The Public Defender joins the celebration of the World Refugee Day and hopes that protection of the rights of asylum seekers, refugees and persons with humanitarian status will be guaranteed in our country.

The World Refugee Day has been celebrated by the United Nations General Assembly since 2000. There are 60 million internally displaced people throughout the world. 20 million out of them are refugees, who had to ask for an asylum in safe countries after being forced to leave their countries due to wars and human rights violations.