BRUSSELS. The Churches' Commission for Migrants in Europe (CCME) and the Conference of European Churches (CEC) have jointly called on churches across Europe to hold memorial services, prayers, and vigils on 21 June 2026 to honor refugees and migrants who have died attempting to reach Europe. The appeal comes ahead of World Refugee Day on 20 June and highlights the ongoing human toll of migration, with approximately 2,200 people perishing in the Mediterranean in 2025 alone and at least 7,900 dying on migration routes worldwide. Since 2014, more than 34,000 people have lost their lives trying to reach Europe, drowning at sea, suffocating in containers, or dying at land borders including those with Belarus and in the English Channel.

CCME and CEC offer a collection of resources that can be used as worship materials or intercessions during a service or an information event. The 142 pages resource booklet is in English but also includes some material in 4 additional languages. It can be downloaded and freely used as long as CCME (and in many cases the original source) are mentioned.