State Letter #06-05

TO: STATE REFUGEE COORDINATORS
NATIONAL VOLUNTARY AGENCIES
OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES

FROM: Nguyen Van Hanh, Ph.D.
Director
Office of Refugee Resettlement

SUBJECT: Thank You and Farewell

I want to take this opportunity to express my gratitude, respect and admiration for all of you who work tirelessly and unselfishly in the refugee resettlement program.

It has been a privilege and honor to serve as the Director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement for the past five years. You have been key players and active partners in helping to shape refugee resettlement into a program that meets the needs of America's refugees both efficiently and effectively.

My self-imposed mandate for the refugee program when I came to Washington, D.C., five years ago was to keep an open mind about other people's ideas on what would make the refugee resettlement program a model for the 21st Century. There were many fine ideas, suggestions, and yes, complaints, about how to best operate the refugee program. The consultations I instituted when I came into the job as Director helped provide a national view of how we could all work together with the common aim of providing the most beneficial services and program to America's newcomers. For all the ideas, suggestions and yes, even the complaints, I want you to know that I appreciated each and every one of them.

One of my main interests in this position was to insure the active participation and inclusion of the local community and faith-based organizations in the refugee network. I believe that this interest became a reality during my tenure as Director. I also believe that the resettlement program is a more effective one with community organization interest and involvement.

In closing, I have never forgotten why I was placed in the position as Director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement: to insure that the refugee's interests would be foremost in planning programs, formulating public policy and implementing initiatives that would work. Thanks to your help and support over these past five years, I hope I was able to fulfill this vision.

I wish each and every one of you success in your work on behalf of and with America's refugees.