Refugee Week 2023 in Birmingham
Birmingham is home to many refugees – including those from Syria, Afghanistan and Ukraine – and will be hosting a range of events to mark Refugee Week.
We are both a City of Compassion and a City of Sanctuary, and as such we celebrate the diversity, creativity and resilience of refugees. The theme for this year’s campaign is compassion.
It goes without saying that that we should exhibit compassion to people who have fled war and violence, suffered bereavement and trauma, and have been forced to leave their homes and loved ones.
During Refugee Week, the city council and its partners will be highlighting how we are compassionate to all people in need, whether they are from Ukraine, Sudan, or any other war-torn countries.
Birmingham City Council’s Refugee and Migration team - who run projects which welcome and support people seeking asylum, refugees and migrants in our city - have partnered with Celebrating Sanctuary to support grass roots organisations to stage their own event.
There is lots going on in Birmingham for Refugee Week, details of which can be found on the Celebration Sanctuary website.
On World Refugee Day (20 June) the Library of Birmingham will be lit orange, the colour of the refugee flag, to show the city’s support for all refugees.
The week will culminate in a Refugee Week Get Together for Compassion in Centenary Square on Saturday 24 June (11am-2pm), a free event featuring live performances including dance and poetry from various community groups.
Poet Amerah Saleh will compere the event and perform some of their spoken word art.
A full programme of free, public city-wide activities are available on the Celebrating Sanctuary website
