PORTLAND, Maine — Portland officials and residents will observe World Refugee Day in Congress Square Park.
Poet and Maine resident Richard Blanco will deliver an address at the park at 4 p.m. Friday. Portland Mayor Michael Brennan and U.S. National Refugee Congress state representative Eklas Ahmed will also speak.
Salt Institute for Documentary Studies will host a reception at 6 p.m. after the event. It will feature Salt's newest collection, "In The Shadows: Urban Refugee Children In Africa." The reception is free and open to the public.
City officials say Maine has resettled 2,283 refugees from 24 countries since 2000.
The park is located at 561 Congress St.