General Resources

Timeline to Refugee Week 2021

Suggested Agenda for Planning Meeting

New Refugee Week Theory of Change

Refugee Week 2020 Case Studies

Refugee Action Good Practice (Advice and guidance for refugee and asylum organisations)

Workshops

How to Get Involved in Refugee Week 2021 (04 February)

An online session full of inspiration and information about how you can get involved in Refugee Week 2021, which will take place 14-20 June with the theme ‘We Cannot Walk Alone’.

Hosted by Dr Sita Thomas: Presenter and Co-Artistic Director, Common Wealth, with:

  • Emily Churchill Zaraa, Refugee Week UK Coordinator, Counterpoints Arts
  • Rachael Cox: Programme Manager, Celebrating Sanctuary Birmingham and Coordinator of Birmingham Refugee Week
  • Catja de Haas: Architect, Giant Doll’s House Project
  • Rana Ibrahim: Founder and Leader, Iraqi Women Art and War

More info and resources from this workshop

Football and Refugees: Learning from Refugee Week and Beyond (09 February)

How can football bring communities together, challenge stereotypes and help newcomers feel at home? What do these uncertain times mean for football projects with refugees? A workshop sharing learning from Refugee Week and beyond. Led by David Feindouno, founder* of Plymouth Hope Festival, which before Covid brought newcomers and longstanding residents together in their thousands for a football tournament every Refugee Week.

Chaired by David Feindouno, Founder and Chair, Plymouth Hope, with:

  • Bilal Hussain, Community Organiser, Football Welcomes (Amnesty International) 
  • Matthew Barrett, Co-founder, Goal Click

More info and resources from this workshop

Running Effective Online and ‘Hybrid’ Events (11 February)

A workshop exploring how to run effective and inclusive events in the age of Covid restrictions, including tips for making online events engaging and ways of involving those with limited tech access.

Chaired by Marcia Chandra, Counterpoints Arts (Clapham Park Creative Coop), with:

  • Eleanor Head, Imperial War Museum (Refugee Nights)
  • Anne Collins and Kezieh Berelson, Mafwa Theatre

More info and resources from this workshop

Spread the Word: Media and Social Media Webinar (16 February)

A webinar with practical tools and tips for using media and social media to share stories and promote your activities, for Refugee Week and beyond.

Led by Niall Mann and Katherine Maxwell-Rose (IMIX), and Shayane Lacey (Counterpoints Arts)

More info and resources from this workshop

Who Decides? Supporting Lived Experience Leadership (18 February)

We may be passionate about people with lived experience taking the lead, but how do we actually put this into practice in our organisations and activities? This workshop will explore what ‘lived experience leadership’ really means and ask how we can help make it happen, especially when capacity and resources are limited.

Chaired by Ali Torabi, Refugee / Programme Manager Rights & Justice – Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust, with:

  • Loraine Masiya Mponela, Chairperson, Coventry Asylum and Refugee Action Group (CARAG) 
  • Fred Kastner, Director of Social Innovation at TERN 
  • Salani Mutseyami, Former Chair of Nottingham Refugee Week & Refugee Week Leadership Group 2019 
  • Almir Koldzic, Director of Counterpoints Arts

Info and resources from this workshop

(Beyond) Storytelling (23 February)

Storytelling is a powerful tool for helping us understand and empathise across difference, but asking people to ‘share their story’ also comes with risks. This workshop will explore how storytelling can be done in an ethical and empowering way, as well as asking what alternatives there are to first person testimony.

Chaired by Allan Njanji, Doctoral Researcher: Media and Migration, Nottingham Trent University, with:

  • Rifaie Tammas, Syrian Activist and PhD researcher at University of Sydney 
  • Kolbassia Haoussou, Survivors Speak OUT, Freedom From Torture 
  • Claire Webster Saaremets, Skimstone Arts 
  • Smajo Beso, Researcher and former refugee from Bosnia

More info and resources from this workshop

Reaching New Audiences (25 February)

The theme of Refugee Week 2021, ‘We Cannot Walk Alone’, is an invitation to reach beyond our usual circles and make new connections. This workshop will explore how we can engage new audiences in Refugee Week events and activities of all sizes, including when capacity and resources are limited.

Facilitated by Tom Green, Counterpoints Arts, with:

  • Usman Khalid, Founder, Haven Coffee 
  • Giulia Ciccolella: Editor, ekō Magazine

More info and resources from this workshop

Networking Session in Arabic جلسة للتواصل باللغة العربية (02 March)

A networking session in Arabic for anyone involved or interested in arts, cultural or social projects relating to refugees. Hosted by Rana Ibrahim, Founder and Leader of Iraqi Women Art and War

جلسة للتواصل لكل المهتمين في المشاريع الفنية والثقافية والاجتماعية التي تخص اللاجئين. بإستضافة رنا إبراهيم مؤَسِسة (برنامج المرأة العراقية الفن)

The video explains what Refugee Week is and how you can get involved, with an example of a project from Iraqi Women Art and War:

Racial Justice and Refugee Solidarity (4 March)

What does Black Lives Matter mean for the refugee solidarity movement? Following the Refugee Week 2021 theme of ‘We Cannot Walk Alone’, this workshop explores how we can bring an informed commitment to racial justice into our work and build connections and solidarity with racial justice campaigns.

Chaired by:

  • Ambrose Musiyiwa, Doctoral Reseacher at University of Manchester, researching refugee artists, performing arts practices & the UK

  • Laura Nyahuye, Artist, Designer and Founder of Maokwo

Resources and info from this workshop

Featured image (c) Rana Ibrahim (Iraqi Women and War)