Category: Press Statement

Newly Resettled Families to Celebrate their First Thanksgiving

by on November 16, 2023

Arlington, Va., November 16, 2023 – ECDC’s branch office, the African Community Center (ACC) DC Metro will host its 11th annual Refugees’ First Thanksgiving dinner on Sunday, November 19, at the Silver Spring Civic Center in Maryland, which will offer a unique experience to the hundreds of refugees it has resettled this year in the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia metro areas.

Statement on Passing of ECDC Board Member Dr. Henning Leidecker, Jr.

by on November 1, 2023

Henning was born on September 9, 1941. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in physics and a minor in philosophy from The Catholic University of America in 1963. He earned a Ph.D. in Physics in 1968 with a dissertation entitled “The Temperature and Frequency Dependence of the Dielectric Response of Linear Polymers Computed Using Two-Time Temperature-Dependent Green Function.”

ECDC praises Biden for signing the Refugee Admissions Determination.

by on October 5, 2023

Arlington, Va., October 23 – ECDC applauds President Biden for recently signing the  Presidential Determination on Refugee Admissions, allowing up to 125,000 refugees to be admitted to the United States in Fiscal Year (FY) 2024. This decision reaffirms the United States’ commitment to refugee protection and is another needed step in rebuilding the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.

A Heartbreaking Death: Remembering Ahmed and the Search for Sanctuary

by on September 25, 2023

Arlington, Va. (September 25, 2023)—ECDC is deeply saddened by the tragic death on September 20th of Ahmed Zainuldeen, a 23-year-old Iraqi refugee who came to the U.S. in search of a chance at life only to meet with a horrible death. It is heart-wrenching to think that someone who sought refuge in our country and with whom our staff have been working hard to help him achieve his dreams, and start a new life, had his life cut short in such a horrifying, senseless manner outside his Denver, Colorado apartment.

ECDC Marks 40 Years of Impact and Commitment to Refugees and Displaced Individuals

by on August 23, 2023

Arlington, Va., August 23 – ECDC is pleased to announce the start of its 26th Annual Conference, Hope and Resilience, which focuses on critical topics that shape the lives of refugees and the displaced. Tsehaye Teferra, Ph.D., President and CEO of ECDC said, “I am honored to open this event, which not only launches a very informative conference but also marks our organization’s 40th anniversary of dedication to fostering positive change in the lives of those seeking refuge and hope.”