The Olympic Refugee Sport Day event saw refugees aged between 11 and 18 experience 10 different sports at Auckland's Trusts Arena.

The New Zealand Olympic Committee's Youth Olympic Games Chef de Mission Barbara Kendall said the event helped to aid the refugees' integration into New Zealand society.

"Sport and recreation has a significant positive impact on refugees' well-being and development, so we organised today to help these young people have a bit of fun, try some new sports and make new friends," she said.

The event was held to mark jointly World Refugee Day tomorrow and Olympic Day on Saturday (June 23).

Refugees came from schools across Auckland, while others who have recently arrived in the country came from the Mangere Refugee Resettlement Centre.

Younis Ahmat Adballah, a 17-year-old who came to New Zealand from Sudan, says the day exposed him to a range of people from a similar background.

"I've enjoyed seeing all the different cultures and I've met some really great people," he said.

Basketball, soccer and golf were the best sports I tried today and hopefully I'll get to keep playing them."

The refugees were welcomed to the event with an Opening Ceremony run by refugee performance group Mixit. 

Member of Parliament Golriz Ghahraman, who arrived to New Zealand as a refugee, opened proceedings before the young people received coaching from Olympians including hockey player Pippa Hayward and judoka Tim Slyfield.

Refugees As Survivors chief exeuctive Ann Hood said sports help refugees fit into a new community.

"This is a great way to get these young people involved in sports which are an intrinsic part of New Zealand life," she added.

"Unfortunately some of them come from families where sport is unaffordable so you can see on their faces how much fun they’re having today."

The day was made possible with funding from the International Olympic Committee’s Olympic Solidarity programme.