Nottingham Refugee Week is back!
Our theme this year is ‘Healing’. Through creativity and conversations, Refugee Week 2022 will be a celebration of community, mutual care, and the human ability to start again. Our festival launches with a fabulous line-up of music, dance, food, craft, family fun, wellbeing goodies and stalls from refugee organisations across the city on Saturday 18th June, 11am-4pm, on Sneinton Market; please join us to celebrate sanctuary in our city. Everything is free and all are welcome!'.
What is Nottingham Refugee Week?
Nottingham Refugee Week is an annual cultural festival that unites communities and organisations across our city. It celebrates the culture of sanctuary we have built here in Nottingham, and is an act of welcome, a gesture of solidarity and a shared celebration with people who have sought refuge here. 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. Refugee Week is coordinated nationally by our friends at Counterpoint Arts.
When does it run?
Nottingham Refugee Week runs annually, to coincide with World Refugee Day on 20th June. This year, Nottingham’s celebrations span 18th-26th June 2022.
Why is ‘healing’ this year’s theme?
‘Healing’ is the theme selected nationally by Counterpoint Arts. As they put it so beautifully: ‘Healing means recovering from a painful experience or situation, so that we can continue to live. No-one understands this better than those who have lost their homes and had to build new lives from scratch. We have much to learn from refugees about holding onto hope when going on seems impossible – as well as about how art, creativity and community can help us to heal. Those going through the asylum system also know that healing is an ongoing process, made harder by poverty, housing difficulties and the threat of being detained or deported. Asking for change, so that refugees can truly feel safe, is an act of care. Whether it’s about looking after ourselves and each other at difficult times, overcoming political divisions or coming together to fight for the survival of our shared planet, healing matters to all of us. Whoever and wherever you are, we hope you’ll join us for Refugee Week 2022 to imagine a world where healing replaces harm, and care becomes our shared currency.’
How can I get involved?
Any person, group or organisation can organise an event as part of Nottingham Refugee Week. Please get in touch if you'd like to talk to us about supporting, organising, donating, sponsoring or volunteering at an event during Nottingham Refugee Week. But above all, join us for our free events running across the city during Refuge Week! Check out the ‘Events’ page for details. We can’t wait to see you there!
2022 Events
Brochure archive
Get Involved
If you would like to volunteer during Nottingham Refugee Week, please complete the online application form: https://tinyurl.com/RW2018vaf
Partners, Supporters and Funders
Five Leaves Bookshop
Communities of Identity – (COI)
Nottingham Amnesty Group
Nottingham Central Library
Portland Centre
Rainbow Access and Social Project
Women of Faith, All Saints’ Church
World Jam
Thomas Farr
Contact Us
Email us at nottinghamrefugeeweek@gmail.com
Like, follow or message us on Facebook @NottinghamRefugeeWeek
Tweet or follow us @NottsRW
Share your photos or DM us on Instagram at nottsrefugeeweek
Mailbox only: Nottingham Refugee Week Committee, Care Of Nottingham Refugee Forum, 33A Hungerhill Road, Nottingham NG3 4NB
About Us
In Nottingham, Long Journey Home, a regional organisation worked with local agencies and 20+ Refugee Community Groups across the city to organise regular Refugee Week activities with communities, then Nottingham Beyond Borders was formed in 2009 to continue this work and we produced a newspaper every year featuring stories and articles about refugees and asylum seekers which was distributed alongside information about Refugee Week events/activities.
In 2017 Nottingham Beyond Borders officially changed its name to Nottingham Refugee Week to make our aims and objectives clearer to our partners, funders and the general public.
Nottingham Refugee Week is a voluntary organising committee consisting of an annually elected Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary and Treasurer. Membership is open to all local individuals/organisations who share our values and commit to our aims to:
- Promote Nottingham Refugee Week though arts, education, sport and culture events which raise awareness about the issues people face when seeking refuge or asylum
- Provide information and support to groups/organisations who want to plan local activities/events during Refugee Week
- Build opportunities for collaboration and create connections to national and international networks
- Encourage community cohesion and integration
- Advocate for active consultation, participation and engagement with communities who have lived experience of seeking refuge or asylum, with the aim of being led by affected peoples
Celebrations in Nottingham usually include a variety of events and activities organised by various individuals and organisations across the city – our amazing “community collaborators”. We raise awareness of issues through Refugee Week, build local networks and support partners to plan and deliver events with and for local communities for the benefit of all. We aim to prioritise the voices and views of people with lived experience of seeking refuge and asylum. We warmly invite you to attend events, taste foods, listen to music, ask questions, share stories, dance joyfully and meet new people!
We do not currently receive any government funding. Community collaborators often gift us with resources in kind (no charge) such as venue hire and marketing support and we regularly apply for funding from regional and national sources. If you would like to donate please get in touch or contribute through your PayPal account to @NottsRW or send donations through our Go Fund me page.
THANK YOU to all our partners, funders, volunteers, committee members and visitors who have supported us throughout the years and continue to do so…
