The Public Theater and International Rescue Committee Present Free Public Forum

The Public Theater and International Rescue Committee have announced plans for a free one-night-only Public Forum event, Welcome Home: A Celebration of World Refugee Day, to take place on June 20 at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park.

Doors will open at 6:45pm. A naturalization ceremony for brand-new citizens will take place for the first time ever on the Delacorte stage, led by U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson. The Forum program will begin at 7:30pm. Highlights of the evening will include F. Murray Abraham reading Shakespeare’s incendiary plea for refugees from Sir Thomas More, a performance of a song by K’naan, Michael Cerveris performing "Better Angels" from Tom Kitt’s new musical The Visitor, Hoon Lee reading David Henry Hwang, a chorus of New York City schoolchildren reading Emma Lazarus’ "The New Colossus," Kwame Kwei-Armah reading John Winthrop’s "A Model of Christian Charity," Natalie Cortez performing "There Is a Child" from The Public’s Giant, and more.

"As we prepare to celebrate World Refugee Day in just under a month, it is important to remember the myriad gifts refugees have brought to this country and the world," said International Rescue Committee president and CEO David Miliband. "The IRC is proud to partner with The Public on this amazing night that will showcase the talent of longstanding refugees now at the top of their professions and welcome home new ones who may just become the next big thing."

Free Public Forum tickets will be distributed, two per person, at the Delacorte Theater beginning at noon on the day of the Forum. Public Forum Welcome Home: A Celebration of World Refugee Day is made possible by a grant from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation.