Refugee Week 2025 Conference (Online)

Do you want to find out how you can get involved in this year's Refugee Week?

Are you passionate about how arts, cultural, sports and community activities can help us move together towards a shared goal and shape hopeful futures for all?

Join others from across the UK and the world to share inspiration, learning and ideas ahead of Refugee Week 2025.

Whether you’ve been part of Refugee Week for years or are interested in getting involved for the first time, everyone is welcome!
The Refugee Week 2025 Conference is taking place online, so join us from wherever you are in the world.

The Refugee Week conference is for anyone who is interested in taking part in Refugee Week, the world's largest arts & culture festival celebrating the contributions, resilience and creativity of refugees.

Refugee Week 2025 is 16-22nd June, and anyone can take part by:
(1) supporting their local events
(2) taking part in simple acts
(3) holding their own event or activity (big or small!)
The theme of Refugee Week 2025 (16-22nd June 2025) is Community as a Superpower

Info: Welcome to the Refugee Week conference and meet this year's co-hosts Lara Deffense (Refugee Week UK coordinator) and Zafeerah (Refugee Week UK Producer)

Info: Enver Solomon (CEO of Refugee Council and Refugee Week Co-Chair) opens this year's conference with some thoughts on the power of Refugee Week and reflections on this year's theme "Community as a Superpower". Vicky Tennant, the UK representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees joins us to address the current global context.

Info: Our cherished Refugee Week co-chair Dr. Dima Mekdad shares her thoughts & reflections on this year's theme "Community as a Superpower?". Dr Dima Mekdad’s career journey spans clinical research, education, arts and culture. She is dedicated to creating spaces for embodied transformation, and cultural expression for social change.

Info: Musical performance by researcher, educator, and accomplished musician
specializing in Sudanese traditional music. With extensive academic credentials, including an MA in Drama and Music and a High Diploma in Folklore, he combines deep scholarly
insights with hands-on expertise in crafting traditional musical instruments. Over his career, he has manufactured more than 300 traditional instruments, collaborated with cultural institutions globally, and spearheaded initiatives to preserve and celebrate Sudanese folklore.

Info: Meet the very wonderful Hiba Elhindi, the Artistic Director of Sudafest. Sudafest is a festival showcasing the vibrant essence of Sudanese cultures and arts, forging connections with diverse communities worldwide. Joining us for this year's conference to share her reflections on the power of art and culture in bringing people together, particularly in light of the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Sudan.

Info: Refugee Week UK Coordinators Lara & Zafeerah guide us through the simple ways you can get involved in this year's festival. They'll guide us through all the ways to take part from (1) How to support local (2) How to take part in Simple Acts campaign and (3) Holding your own event and activity. As well as announcing this year's new Simple Acts they'll also share new resources for everyone to take part. From event organiser packs, to resources for children & young people and a brand new Neighbourhoods pack inviting high streets, businesses, libraries, univerities, local authoities, gyms and everything in between to get involved!

Info: Meet the Refugee Week 2025 artist: 8bitfaz (aka Faz!) who is designing the poster and social media assets for this year's theme "Community as a Superpower". We are so excited for Faz to introduce himself, his approach to creating art and revealing this year's poster. As well as revealing the poster he will also share with us how you can use the art, customise it, use digital elements and more.

Info: We are very excited to announce that Refugee Week is collaborating with the much loved Moomins! "The Moomins and the Great Flood" was originally published in 1945 by the acclaimed Finnish artist, illustrator and writer Tove Jansson. Since then, the Moomin books have inspired generations worldwide with their messages of inclusiveness, kindness and belonging.

In the UK, Moomin Characters are partnering with Counterpoints Arts to commission four artists to create four public artworks inspired by The Moomins and the Great Flood to be presented during Refugee Week. As well as the artworks there will be other resources available to use.

Info: Etaf is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist based in London. Raised in Kuwait and with Palestinian and Lebanese roots, Etaf is proudly part of the Arabic diaspora and their music draws on their Arabic heritage.

Info: We are delighted to welcome Other Cinemas to share more about their work and their involvement with the Refugee Week Film Programme. Other Cinemas is a Brent-based project established by the filmmaking duo Turab Shah and Arwa Aburawa who saw the need for better and more equitable ways of film-making, sharing, and education. Seeing these three strands as inseparable, their work attempts to create a vital and holistic alternative to the industry that addresses its racial and class biases. Other Cinemas' work is rooted in their diverse neighbourhoods in northwest London, some of the most racially diverse in the country but chronically underserved in terms of cultural provisions.

The Refugee Week Film programme is a selection of short films and feature length films can be watched globally for free either at home or used for a community screening during Refugee Week! No need to get rights or licensing, we have arranged these for the duration of Refugee Week.

Info: Welcome to Refugee Week, Portugal! We are so excited that the coordinators of the inaugural Refugee Week in Portugal will be joining us to share their journey of starting a brand new Refugee Week. A great session to join for anyone interested in starting Refugee Week celebrations and learning more about this growing international movement.

Info: IMIX's Media & Storytelling Manager, Elahe Ziai, joins us to share her thoughts on harnessing different types of storytelling methods to talk about refugee experiences. Elahe is leading this year's Refugee Week Media Ambassador programme and will share how you can connect with them as well as some pointers on connecting with local media.

Info: Closing thoughts and an opportunity to review what's next on the Refugee Week timeline!

Info: An optional networking opportunity for anyone interested in connecting with others in the network, sharing ideas or asking questions! Details to be announced.

Event Venue

Online