Refugee Week is a UK-wide festival celebrating the contributions, creativity and resilience of refugees and people seeking sanctuary. It takes place every June, during the same week as World Refugee Day on 20 June.
This year, Refugee Week is 15 to 21 June and the national theme is ‘Courage’.
We encourage communities to apply for grant funding to hold events during Refugee Week that will build an understanding of different cultures, promote community cohesion, and celebrate diversity and belonging.
You can read more about previous years’ Refugee Week celebrations below:
We have consistently committed to supporting refugees in Cambridge to resettle and feel safe, welcome and part of our community. We work closely with local community groups and voluntary organisations, and have been helped with offers of private-rented and housing association properties.
‘Voices of Hope and Compassion’ event
- Sunday 28 June, 4 to 5.30pm at Cambridge Corn Exchange
The poet Michael Rosen will be leading a concert called ‘Voices of Hope and Compassion’ on Sunday 28 June.
The event is open to all to attend – it is free and you do not need a ticket. Please arrive promptly at 3.45pm to ensure admittance.
At the concert, Michael Rosen will be performing poems from his collection ‘On the Move’ and new specially commissioned poems.
School children will also perform songs, readings, poetry, drama and dance pieces all inspired by Michael’s words and story-telling, in empathy with refugees.
The civic community concert is organized by Helen Weinstein, Director of HistoryWorks, working with Michael and in partnership with local primary schools, secondary schools and community colleges. About 3,000 school children have taken part this year.
There will be a stall from Roving Books in the Corn Exchange foyer selling books by Michael Rosen. The profits will go to our two nominated refugee charities. Michael will be signing books and offering free selfies at a signing-table for participating families during the rehearsal and for the wider audience after the concert.
There will also be stalls from the participating charities, Cambridge Convoy Refugee Action Group (Camcrag) and the Refugee Hardship Fund, with cash donation buckets and card readers.
You can donate to Camcrag online or read Cambridge Ethnic Community Forum’s guidance for donating.
