Find out what happened at the Refugee Week Conference 2024.

On the 12th March close to 300 people from across the UK and around the world came together online for the Refugee Week Conference to kick-start the countdown to the festival in June.

Covering topics from what Refugee Week is about, to this year’s theme, “Our Home”, and reflections on the current global context, we had 16 speakers and artists offering ideas and inspirations on how to get involved in the festival.

With practical workshops running throughout the day, our speakers shared tips on how to get started when planning an event, how to get involved with our Simple Acts campaign as well as how to change the narrative and use digital storytelling to create change.

We want to thank all of those who attended this year’s conference and we hope you enjoyed it as much as we did. This year’s Refugee Week takes place from 17-23rd of June and we can’t wait to celebrate with you.

In case you missed the conference, below are some highlights. We hope these recordings and resources will be useful to you when you plan your activity for Refugee Week. Feel free to share them far and wide!

To leave you with one of our attendees feedback about Refugee Week and this year’s conference: “What a lovely conference! I say lovely because it is such an embrace of voices and solidarities. It is a breath of fresh air in such a hateful and hostile world.”

REFLECTIONS & INSPIRATION
Why Refugee Week is important, especially in today’s global context and climate with Enver Solomon (CEO Refugee Council, Refugee Week Co-chair)
Exploring the theme “Our Home” with Dima Mekdad (Refugee Week Co-Chair)
An update from Refugee Week Nottingham with Allan Njanji (Refugee Week Nottingham)
Poetry Reading and comment on “Our Home” by Loraine Mponela (Activist, Artist, Poet)
Housing, Arts & Healing with Mahide Uz
Intersection of Climate Justice and Displacement: Emmanuela Yogolelo (Climate Activist) in conversation with Dana Olaresco (Socially Engaged Artist)
Representation and leadership with Ariana Abawe (@Ariana the Journalist)
Musical Performance: Amani Creatives featuring Emmanuela Yogolelo
WORKSHOPS & MASTERCLASSES
How to take part in Refugee Week: The Nuts & Bolts with Refugee Week Coordinator Lara Deffense and Refugee Week Producer Giulia Ciccolella
Changing the Narrative & Introduction to Refugee Week Ambassadors with Elahe Ziai, Julia Rampen and Katherine Maxwell-Rose from IMIX and Refugee Week Ambassadors
Digital Storytelling Workshop with Hossam Fazulla and Georgia Beeston from Bosla Arts