As part of the celebration of the Immigrant Heritage Month and World Refugee Day in the month of June, the Columbus City Council recognized the Bhutanese Community of Central Ohio for providing vital direct services, education, and hope to more than 28,000 Bhutanese and other South Asian resettled refugee populations in Central Ohio.

“The Council does hereby recognize Immigrant Heritage Month during the month of June and World Refugee Day on June 20^th,” the Columbus City Council resolution stated.

Immigrant Heritage Month is a nationwide celebration held every June as part of an ongoing effort to empower immigrants and allies to share stories and drive action that demonstrate how immigration is good for our communities, economy, and country.

The resolution said that “Columbus is home to more than 155,000 residents who were born in nations including Bhutan, Somalia, Democratic Republic of Congo, India, and Mexico, among others, with roughly 8% of the City’s total population being foreign born.”

“Immigrants accounted for 29.5 percent of the population growth in Columbus between 2014 and 2019. For the past seven years, the United States has celebrated Immigrant Heritage Month during the month of June to pay tribute to the diverse immigrant groups that enrich our nation’s history and culture.

“The City of Columbus has a proud history of welcoming immigrants and refugees by offering a safe and thriving environment to support refugees seeking a new beginning,” the resolution added.

“The BCCO is a proud sponsor of this year’s resolution,” said Sudarshan Pyakurel, Executive Director of Bhutanese Community of Central Ohio.

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