Refugee Week in Nottingham is an act of welcome, a gesture of solidarity and a shared celebration. It exists both to raise awareness of the reasons why people are forced to seek refuge – persecution, war, poverty and conflict – and also to celebrate the contributions made by refugees and asylum seekers to the economic, cultural and social life of the city. Refugee Week began nationally in 1998 as a direct reaction to hostility in the media and society in general towards refugees and asylum seekers. It is now one of the leading national initiatives working to counter this negative climate, defending the importance of sanctuary and the benefits it can bring to both refugees and host communities. 

In Nottingham, Long Journey Home, a regional organisation worked with local agencies and 20+ Refugee Community Groups in Nottingham to organise regular annual Refugee Week activities in the city then Nottingham Beyond Borders was formed in 2009 to continue this work. At the beginning a newspaper was produced every year featuring stories and articles about refugees and asylum seekers. This was distributed alongside Refugee Week events and activities. In 2017 Nottingham Beyond Borders changed its name to Nottingham Refugee Week in order to make our aims and objectives clearer to the general public.

This year we are celebrating 20 years of Refugee Week in the UK. Celebrations in Nottingham will include a variety of events and activities hosted by individuals and organisations across the city. We invite you to attend events, try different food and music, ask questions and find out more about what is happening in Nottingham to create a culture of welcome. In a time when the numbers of people seeking sanctuary globally are the highest on record, and people are taking increasingly dangerous routes to safety, it is important that we show solidarity, understanding and tolerance to those seeking refuge in our city.