In 1948, 750,000 Palestinians were driven from their homes when the state of Israel was formed. More than 400 Palestinian towns and villages were destroyed during this ethnic cleansing. Today Palestinians remain dispossessed and stateless, the largest refugee population in the world at an estimated at 6.5 million including descendents (3.8 million are registered for humanitarian assistance with the UN).

Many Palestinian families still hold on to the old iron keys of their homes in the hope that they will one day return, even though most of their homes were destroyed.

Let us mark this day by affirming the rights of all refugees the world over -- whether fleeing political, economic or social violence -- to return to their homes of origin, to receive property restitution and compensation for losses and damages, in accordance with international law.