Bhutanese families hold celebration

by Laura Yuen, Minnesota Public Radio

St. Paul, Minn. — Minnesota's newest refugees will get together today in St. Paul for the first ever Bhutan Day.

Bhutanese families from the Twin Cities will celebrate their culture and learn more about refugee services in the state.

The first arrivals from the South Asian country arrived in Minnesota last spring. While their numbers are still small, a total of 60,000 Bhutanese refugees are expected to resettle in the U.S. over the next five years.

The refugees are ethnic Nepalese who have fled persecution from the Bhutanese government.

At the St. Paul event, they'll be able to attend workshops offering advice on matters ranging from job hunting to tips for surviving a brutal Minnesota winter.