Six ways to get involved with Refugee Week in London

Refugee Week, the annual festival celebrating the many contributions that refugees have made to the UK, is back. Founded in 1998 and held every year around World Refugee Day on June 20, the event brings a wonderful programme of arts and culture to areas across the country to ’enable people from different backgrounds to connect beyond labels, and encourage understanding of why people are displaced, and the challenges they face when seeking safety.’ 

Here are some excellent ways to support it in London: 

Refugee Week at the National Maritime Museum

We all know laughter is the best medicine, so it’s fitting that the Greenwich museum has invited No Direction Home - a comedy collective from refugee and migrant backgrounds - to host a night of roaring stand-up to mark this year’s refugee week theme: ‘Healing’, as well as talks, exhibitions and creative workshops. National Maritime Museum. Jun 23-25. Free, booking required.

Dance with Little Amal

Remember Little Amal, the giant puppet refugee girl who walked from the Syrian border to Manchester last year? Now she’s treading in her boots again for a dance party on the Southbank. Dance for Refuge and other guest artists will be providing the soundtrack as well as bringing attention to the urgent needs of young refugees. Southbank Centre. Jun 25. Free. 

Migration Museum Refugee Week Late

After itself migrating around London over the last few years, the Migration Museum has found a permanent home for its eye-opening exhibitions about the movement of people to and from Britain across the ages. Head down to its new gaff in Lewisham Shopping Centre this Refugee Week for an after-hours tour of its ‘Taking Care of Business’ exhibition, alongside spoken word performances, food demos and charcoal drawing workshops. Migration Museum, Lewisham Shopping Centre. Jun 23. £5.

Celebrating Sanctuary

People newly arrived in Lewisham from around the world will lead the Horniman Museum’s afternoon of music, dance, storytelling and workshops to mark Refugee Week. Learn traditional Ethiopian dance moves, sing Afro-Colombian songs and watch a performance following the journeys of migrant women arriving in the UK. Horniman Museum. Jun 25. Free. 

Refugee Week Festival

You may not know the name Faiz Karizi, but the people of Afghanistan certainly do. The singer-songwriter born in Kabul is so prolific in the country that he is known as the ‘King of Folklore Music’. He’ll be headling this Refugee Week celebration, which highlights the very serious situation of those who continue to suffer under Taliban rule in the country. Gunnersbury Park. Jun 26. £12. 

Under the Same Sun: Singing Our Lives

Musicians and singers from refugee and asylum-seeker backgrounds, including the Orchestra of Syrian Musicians, Sing For Freedom Choir (many of whose members are survivors of torture) and United Strings of Europe, will be filling the beautiful surrounds of Union Chapel with stunning new compositions created especially for Refugee Week. Spine-tingling stuff. Union Chapel. Jun 26. £15.

Find more great things that are going down in London this June. 

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