“We are a rainbow of people/ together redefining home”.

That’s how poet Fatima Diriye began New World Vision, the 20 word poem she crafted using contributions from 250 attendees at the 2018 Refugee Week Conference.

As Fatima (and everyone at the conference) discovered, limits can be the foundations of creativity, and poetry can express things we might not otherwise say.

Follow in Fatima’s footsteps and celebrate 20 years of Refugee Week by writing your own 20 word Refugee Week poem.

You could start with one of the lines or themes below, or use your own.

Welcome is…

Where I’m from…

Moving somewhere new

Birthday gifts

And if you’re feeling really inspired, why not try a 20-liner too (here’s Fatima’s longer poem).

Encourage others to get involved and make your poem part of the national Simple Act movement by sharing on social media using the hashtag #SimpleActs or emailing us.

Go on a voyage of 20 words – who knows where it’ll take you…

Read some of the 20 word poems shared so far