BURLINGTON – Shabir Ayoubi and his wife were approved to resettle in the United States more than a year ago, but navigating bureaucracy stalled the process for months and required expensive visits to U.S. embassies in Pakistan. They eventually arrived in Vermont one snowy evening two months ago.

One of the state’s newest residents, Ayoubi, who now lives in Burlington, was among the people celebrating World Refugee Day Saturday at Leddy Park.

“I came here by chance today,” said Ayoubi, 34. He heard about the event and got a ride from a case worker. He didn’t know it was a party and left his wife behind, he said. They don’t have a vehicle.

They are among the more than 600 Afghans resettled across Vermont after fleeing a country taken over by the Taliban, an extremist group, after what became the longest war in U.S. military history.

The U.S.-led invasion began in 2001 in the aftermath of the 9/11 attack and ended in 2021 after U.S. troops withdrew and the Taliban took control of Kabul, the capital city.

Designated by the United Nations, World Refugee Day is celebrated worldwide on June 20 to honor the strength and resilience of people forced to flee their home countries and to shine a light on their rights and needs.

On a sunny summer afternoon, more than 100 refugees enjoyed food, games and camaraderie with their families, resettlement groups, volunteers and allies in a celebration organized by the local chapter of the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, a nonprofit international organization that addresses and fights for the needs and rights of refugees and immigrants. 

Shabir Ayoubi, an Afghan refugee who came to Vermont two months ago, recounts his journey at a World Refugee Day celebration at Leddy Park in Burlington on June 21. Photo by Auditi Guha/VTDigger

Since 1980, USCRI has helped resettle more than 8,500 refugees in Vermont, many of whom were forced to flee their homes because of war, genocide, torture and repressive regimes. These include survivors of the Rwandan massacre, Congolese fleeing war, Afghans persecuted by the Taliban and Ukrainians whose villages were destroyed, according to a Friday press release from USCRI.

Sonali Samarasinghe, field office director of USCRI in Colchester, said the annual picnic aims to celebrate the contributions of new residents in Vermont, many of who showed up Saturday in colorful clothes and traditional attire.

“You enrich us with your culture, your religion, your skills, your food and your commitment to hard work,” she said in a brief speech Saturday. “In this beautiful diversity that we see here today, we are all unified.”

Between games, chatter, plates of heaped food — donated by community partners such as People’s Kitchen, American Flatbread, Grand Buffet, Lake Champlain Chocolate and Hannaford — families enjoyed a picnic in the sun on the shores of Lake Champlain.

FaReid Munarsyah from The People’s Kitchen serves hot food to Aline Kwizera at a World Refugee Day celebration in Leddy Park, Burlington on June 21. Photo by Auditi Guha/VTDigger

Children laughed while rolling off a large ball representing the earth, kicked around soccer balls, spun hula hoops around their bodies, ducked under a large parachute and lined up for fast-melting ice cream on a warm afternoon.

Under a tent, FaReid Munarsyah of The People’s Kitchen served up generous portions of barbecued meats.

“It’s good,” said Aline Kwizera, who came from Burundi and is a multilingual instructor in the Burlington schools. “I love that people can come, talk and share their experiences like this.”

Ellen Skapski, 76, hugged another woman and said she was her star pupil.

Longtime English tutor Ellen Skapsi (right) speaks with some of her students at a World Refugee Day celebration at Leddy Park, Burlington on June 21. Photo by Auditi Guha/VTDigger

Relocated from Afghanistan in 2024, “best student” Hamida Panjshiri was among former members of the Afghan judiciary who were relocated to the U.S. She lives in Brattleboro, is learning to drive through the Afghan Alliance’s driving program and continues to take weekly English lessons.

“I’m good. I’m happy,” she said. “Because people in Vermont are very kind.”

A French and Spanish interpreter and English tutor with USCRI for more than two decades, Skapski said, “I just love seeing my students, their progress and how much they give to the community.”

While some of the refugees were reluctant to speak about the Trump administration’s roll back of refugee aid, travel and rights, some advocates did not hold back.

“Refugees make Vermont great,” said Tracy Dolan, director of the state refugee office in a brief speech. “We need refugees in Vermont. We need immigrants in Vermont. And we are happy to share our home with you. And no matter what is happening outside of Vermont, no matter what is happening in the country or with the government, we can be together and we can focus on the positive. And we will keep fighting. We will keep fighting for you.”

State Treasurer Mike Pieciak said generations of refugees and immigrants have helped build a stronger nation, from the first Pilgrims fleeing religious persecution in England to his own ancestors to the new refugees who call Vermont home.

“As state treasurer, I spend a lot of time thinking about the future of the Vermont economy,” he said. “As I stand here today with you and enjoy the music, the food and the culture, I can tell you that it’s so clear that refugees do so much more than simply grow our economy. You strengthen our communities all across the state.”

“Refugees so often represent the best of what America means at its core,” he said, thanking the community for leaving behind their hardships and suffering and bringing their strength and resilience to build a life, find community, adjust to a new language and culture – and then having “the strength and the grace” to give back to Vermont with their labor, culture and presence.

Though he is happy to finally be here, to have housing and a job, Ayoubi acknowledged it has been a rough few years for his family, between fleeing Afghanistan and managing the paperwork and delays that stalled their relocation. “It was frustrating,” he said.

Before the Taliban takeover, Ayoubi said he worked in quality control and security for organizations that supported U.S. troops. Barely settled in, Ayoubi is eager to get back to work. 

“I am happy to do anything,” he said.

Ayoubi resettled in Burlington in May as part of a partnership between the Vermont Afghan Alliance, USCRI, Central Vermont Refugee Action Network, and No One Left Behind to continue to welcome Afghans fleeing their homes. He has secured a job with a security services company in Burlington, the Alliance confirmed.

In the face of escalating Trump administration cuts to refugee programs and funding, the theme of this year’s celebration – solidarity with refugees – rings hollow for many refugees across the nation and in Vermont. It’s particularly egregious for the Afghans who served the U.S. but now “face significant challenges and unmet promises,” Molly Gray, executive director of the Vermont Afghan Alliance, noted in a Friday press release.

“These Afghan allies risked their lives and the safety of their families to support U.S. missions. In return for their invaluable service, the U.S. Government promised them relocation to the United States and the opportunity to reunite with their families here in Vermont. Unfortunately, almost three years later, many of these promises remain unfulfilled,” the release stated.