Today is World Refugee Day, a time to think about the more than 42 million people around the world who have been uprooted and displaced from their homes. Activities are taking place around the world to bring attention to the plight of refugees.

Several POV films have put a personal face on refugees, including Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars (POV 2007), The Lost Boys of Sudan (POV 2004) and Rain in a Dry Land (POV 2007). Check out their websites and watch the films for a closer look at what individuals and families go through when they are displaced.

This season, the Academy Award-nominated The Betrayal (Nerakhoon) by Ellen Kuras and Thavisouk Phrasavath, which premieres on July 21, follows Thavi and his family, who escaped to America from Laos after the Vietnam War. Their difficulties in their new country are a reminder of the many challenges that confront refugees, and why it’s important to remember them not just on June 20, but during the rest of the year.

Watch the trailer for The Betrayal:

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Ruiyan Xu
Former POVer Ruiyan Xu worked on developing and producing materials for POV's website. Before coming to POV, she worked in the Interactive and Broadband department at Channel Thirteen/WNET. Ruiyan was born in Shanghai and graduated from Brown University with a B.A. in Modern Culture and Media.