Refugee Week 2025

16 to 22 June

Refugee Week school resources

A shout out to all Islington schools who are celebrating Refugee Week. We encourage all schools to join us in raising awareness that, as a Borough of Sanctuary, our Islington Welcomes vision is that all residents looking for sanctuary can find and take opportunities while feeling welcomed, included and connected to the borough.

• If you would like our resource pack to do a Refugee Week assembly or class session, email: BOS@islington.gov.uk

16 June

Relational Approaches: Supporting those seeking sanctuary

This session run by Bright Lives will look in more depth at how relational approaches can be of particular use when supporting those seeking sanctuary. The session will include tips and guidance on how to place each person at the centre of their own progress and development and will encourage attendees to talk about similar approaches. Bright Lives will give an overview of their Wellbeing Coaching Services.

• When: 2pm-3pm
• For: anyone
• Online
• Free
• To book, email: paul.middleton@islington.gov.uk

17 June

Training: Understanding the Journeys of Refugee and Vulnerable Migrant Children

This training by The Refugee and Migrant Forum of Essex and London (RAMFEL) provides an overview of the journeys of migrant children, the challenges and risks they face, and their rights and entitlements. This will help professionals working with migrant children to recognise: when to refer children for immigration advice; signs of modern slavery; age dispute issues; and provide a general overview of the rights and entitlements of migrant children.

• When: 10.30am-12.30pm
• For: up to 25 people
• Online
• Free
• Book this RAMFEL training on Eventbrite.

18 June

Accessible Recruitment Practices

Drinks and refreshments provided. This event will aim to raise awareness of the barriers that refugees may encounter in their efforts to find employment and what employers can to do tackle these obstacles.

• When: 11am-2pm
• For: HR professionals and employers, up to 30 places
• In-person - wheelchair accessible
• Book Accessible Recruitment Practices on Eventbrite.
• For enquiries, email: Daniel.EstradaMiranda@islington.gov.uk

Thursday 12 June (before Refugee Week begins)

Jenni Kirby: Reflections on Identity, Justice, Love and the inner journey of resistance  

• When: Doors open 6pm, event from 6.30pm to 8.30pm 
• Where: Black Cultural Centre, 16-18 Hornsey Road, N7 7BP 
• For: Age 16 and over - young people under 18 must be accompanied by an adult
• Cost: Free - 30 spaces available  
• Wheelchair accessible
• Refreshments available

This event is just before Refugee Week but too good not to list!

Born into a “Coloured” family (under apartheid, South Africans were categorised as White, Black, Indian or Coloured) forcibly removed from her home under the apartheid regime’s racist laws, Jenni Kirby brings a deeply human perspective to one of history’s darkest chapters. Jenni will discuss her reflections, as well as her activism both in South Africa and as a political exile in Britain. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to hear a first-hand testimony of courage, loss, an enduring quest for belonging and justice, and the power of community.  Hosted by the Anti-Apartheid Legacy Centre and Go Africa Community Hub CIC.

16 to 22 June

Our Cosmic Dust – a touching and uplifting exploration of the human spirit

• When: 3pm matinee, 7.30pm evening show (dates depend on seat availability;
• Where: Park Theatre, Clifton Terrace, Finsbury Park, N4 3JP
• For: Age 12 and over
• Running Time 1.5 hours (no interval) 
• Cost: 20 free tickets for refugees and those seeking asylum
• For special access requirements contact the theatre: BoxOffice@ParkTheatre.co.uk 
• Pizza and drinks available to buy

Meet Shotaro, a curious schoolboy who sets out on an adventure to find his late father among the stars. Behind him follows his mother, sick with worry and determined to bring him home. Along their journeys, they encounter a kaleidoscope of characters each with their own stories of love, loss, and the absurdities of life. Amid the poignancy, moments of humour and wonder remind us that even in grief, there’s room for laughter and joy.

Our Cosmic Dust is a heartfelt and imaginative tale that explores how we find guidance in others and solace in the cosmos – all seen through the wide-eyed perspective of a child. This three-time award-winning production blends intricate puppetry, hand-drawn illustrations, and inventive video design to craft a visually stunning and delightfully unexpected theatrical experience. Created by Tokyo writer and director Michinari Ozawa and translated by British-Japanese theatre maker Susan Momoko Hingley.

Book on the Park Theatre's website. Use the promo code: REFWEEKOCD.

A Social and Creative Celebration for Refugee Week

• When: 4pm - 7pm
• Where: London Museum Studios, Studio Smithfield, 1 East Poultry Avenue, EC1A 9PT
• Cost: Free to attend - 30 places available
• Wheelchair accessible.

All Change invites you to join us for a community celebration of music, poetry performances and photography created and hosted by residents with lived experience of seeking sanctuary. Take part in fun creative activities for all ages. Free coffee, tea and light refreshments provided.

Book this All Change event on Eventbrite.

Refugee Week lunch at Andover Community Centre

• When: 12pm - 2pm;
• Where: Andover Community Centre, 55 Corker Walk, N7 7RY
• For: Age 18 and over
• Cost: Free to attend - 40 places available
• Wheelchair accessible.

A free lunch, coffees and teas hosted by Spanish, Portuguese and English speaking volunteers between.  We also provide clothes and support. Open to all residents including all those seeking sanctuary in Islington.

Book by calling or sending a message on Whatsapp to 07956 291 374.

Children’s Story Time

• When: 12pm - 1pm
• Where: Mildmay Library, 21-23 Mildmay Park, N1 4NA
• For: Children 0-5 years old and their families
• Cost: Free

Join us for story time in dual language. We have some dual language picture and board books donated by the Book Trust Charity to give out at the event and during the week until we run out. Pop in with your family and little ones.;

Book a space at Mildmay Library on Eventbrite.

History of Migration Guided Walk

• When: 2pm - 3.30pm
• Where: Meet at Angel tube station, Upper Street, EC1V 1NE
• For: Age 12 to 80
• Cost: Free - 20 places available.

Find out about the rich history of sanctuary and immigration in Islington. The walk is by a qualified Islington guide.

Book your guided walk on Eventbrite.

Community gardening volunteer experience at Octopus Community Plant Nursery

• When: 10am - 12pm
• Where: McCall and Hollins House, Tufnell Park Road, N7 OPH
• Cost: Free - 20 places available
• Wheelchair accessible.

A wonderful spring community gardening session is offered that will include seasonal activities are seasonal, information sharing including the background of plants, vegetables, herbs and recipes. Participants will be offered hot herbal tea and a share of vegetables harvested on the day to take home.

To find out more and book, email: info@OctopusCommunities.org.uk.

Free Film Evening

• When: 6pm – 8.30pm
• Where: London Metropolitan University, Room BPLG-02 in the Green Zone, 166-220 Holloway Road, London, N7 8DB
• Cost: Free - 50 places available

Come and join this film event and watch:

• The Scent of Geranium, director: Naghmeh Farzaneh - five-minute family-friendly animation, where the director uses their own experience as an Iranian international student in the US to give a voice to the fears, doubts, and complex range of emotions that immigrants face – it is a powerful call for a more compassionate approach to those who seek sanctuary.
• Fremont, director: Babak Jalali (1 hour 30 mins) for ages 12 and over. A moving drama and light comedy about a young Afghan woman who came to California after serving as a translator for the American army. She spends her days working at a fortune cookie factory and her nights wide awake battling between her desire to rebuild her life and the overbearing guilt she carries within. In a bid to connect with the world, she sends an unconventional message through a fortune cookie.

Book this film evening on Eventbrite.

Clothes swap at Vibast Community Centre

• When: 11am - 3pm
• Where: Vibast Community Centre, 167 Old Street, EC1V 9NH
• For: All ages
• Cost: free, no booking needed
• Wheelchair accessible

An event for residents to bring clothing they no longer wear and to allow others to take for free. It's a way to refresh wardrobes, reduce clothing waste, and promote sustainability. If someone (including those seeking sanctuary) want an item and they don’t have anything to exchange it for, that is fine too. Come and explore and find something wonderful to add to your wardrobe. Coffee, tea and snacks available to purchase.

Kundakala: Clothes Alterations and Repairs;

• When and where: TBA
• For: Age 21 to 64
• Cost: Free – 15 places available

Have you got clothes that you don’t wear because they need fixing? Come along and join our alteration and repairs workshop. Our sewing tutor will demonstrate hand stitching to bring clothes back to life.

Book by email: BOS@islington.gov.uk

Stories to Celebrate Refugees

• When: 1pm – 3pm
• Where: Manor Gardens Welfare Trust, 6-9 Manor Gardens, N7 9LA
• Cost: Free - 50 places available

Led by refugees and the lived experience team at Manor Gardens, you will hear stories and celebrate the value that refugees bring to our workforce and community. A buffet lunch of world food will be provided.

Find out more by emailing nazire@ManorGardensCentre.org.

Yanar Mind and Movement gentle yoga class

• When: 3.30pm – 4.30pm
• Where: Christ Church Highbury, 159 Highbury Grove N5 1SA
• For: All ages and abilities, no experience of yoga needed
• Cost: Free - 25 places available
• Wheelchair accessible

Participants can attend in regular everyday clothes.

The class will involve simple postures and relaxation techniques from classical yoga to support mobility and to help manage stress. The class will also show how yoga can be a low-cost and highly effective way to support your physical and emotional wellbeing. It offers healing, builds inner strength and reconnects you to your body. The class will be delivered by a registered yoga therapist who speaks both English and Arabic. No yoga mats required.

Book a yoga class spot on Evenbrite.

Community gardening volunteer experience at Octopus Community Plant Nursery

• When: 4pm – 6pm
• Where: McCall and Hollins House, Tufnell Park Road, N7 OPH
• Cost: Free - 20 places available
• Wheelchair accessible

A wonderful spring community gardening session is offered that will include seasonal activities are seasonal, information sharing including the background of plants, vegetables, herbs and recipes.  Participants will be offered hot herbal tea and a share of vegetables harvested on the day to take home.

To find out more and book, email: info@OctopusCommunities.org.uk.

Author Event: Come and meet two extraordinary literary minds talk about migration

• When: 6.30pm-7.30pm
• Where: Islington Central Library, 2 Fieldway Crescent, N5 1PF
• For: Age 16 and over
• Cost: Free - 60 places available

Jadelin Gangbo's book "Ground" is a heartfelt tale of displacement, family, and home, Ground delivers a story with international scope that is vital in today's world.  Christina Fonthes debut novel "Where you go I will go" Vividly brings to life the Congo and its diaspora, Where You Go, I Will Go weaves Bijoux and Mira’s stories together across two continents, two generations, through the mess of love and sexuality, and the pull of mother-daughter relationships, to finally bring them to a place of belonging – home.  Get ready to dive into the world of literature, ask burning questions, and gain insight into the creative process. This is a unique opportunity to connect with stories about migration from the point-of-view of two exciting literary minds as well as meet with fellow book lovers. Don't miss out!

You can just turn up or book at Islington Central Library on Eventbrite.

Community as a Superpower Talk by Right Reverend Rose Hudson-Wilkin, Bishop of Dover

• When: 6.30pm
• Where: St Pancras New Church, Euston Road London NW1 2BA
• Cost: Free
• Refreshments will be available after the talk
• Toilet facilities are limited

The London Churches Refugee Fund Annual Speaker event this year will be delivered by the Right Reverend Rose Hudson-Wilkin, Bishop of Dover. Bishop Rose will speak to “Community as a Superpower”, which is the theme of this year’s Refugee Week: "For me, the very thought of community is about me recognising that I have something in common with others; about me choosing to be a part of something. This widens my horizons as I am not just left thinking about me and my survival but about how we can work together for the survival and the flourishing of all. Together, let us build flourishing communities wherever we go. This my sisters and brothers, is our superpower!"

Book for St Pancras New Church on Eventbrite.

Exhibition by Damel Carayol: Afstract Figurative

• When: 12-5pm, artists talk at 2pm
• Where: Black Cultural Centre, 16-18 Hornsey Road, N7 7BP
• Cost: Free - space for first 30 guests to arrive 
• Wheelchair accessible
• Complimentary snacks available

An exhibition led by Damel, the Artist who will present prints from his fine art collection on the aftermath of Grenfell which will include 'The Boy that would be King 'Yahya Hashim' & 'Pause for Thought' 'Khadija Saye'. Our Artist in Residence will be curating artworks by Islington residents who have lived experience of seeking sanctuary.  The works are inspired by aspects of their local community.

2pm: Artist talk on a place to belong and community power.

No need to book, but space only for the first 30 people to arrive.

History of Migration Guided Walk

• When: 2pm - 3.30pm
• Where: Meet at Angel tube station, Upper Street, EC1V 1NE
• For: Age 12 to 80
• Cost: Free - 20 places available

Find out about the rich history of sanctuary and immigration in Islington. The walk is led by a qualified Islington guide.

Book the History of Migration guided walk (21 June) on Eventbrite.

The Sing for Freedom Choir and Mixed Up Chorus Refugee Week Gardens Tour at Christ Church Highbury

• When: 2pm
• Where: Christ Church Highbury, 159 Highbury Grove N5 1SA
• Cost: Free - 200 spaces available
• Food, stalls and activities

Join the Sing for Freedom Choir and Mixed Up Chorus for a unique Refugee Week celebration. Experience the power of music, nature and community as two extraordinary choirs come together to sing a repertoire of songs inspired by our relationship to the natural world. Rooted in this year’s Refugee Week theme — Community as a Superpower — these joyful, moving performances will uplift, connect and inspire. The Sing for Freedom Choir is a vibrant musical community made up of survivors of torture and allies. Together they create a space of healing, dignity and joy through the act of singing. The Mixed Up Chorus is a boundary-breaking intergenerational choir that brings people together across cultures, faiths and life experiences to create powerful music that celebrates diversity and shared humanity. Join us in beautiful outdoor settings for a series of free, participatory concerts that remind us of the strength we find in each other — and in the natural world around us. All are welcome. Come and be part of something uplifting.

No need to book.

The Sing for Freedom Choir and Mixed Up Chorus Refugee Week Gardens Tour at Whitting Park Community Centre

• When: 4pm
• Where: Whitting Park Community Centre, Yerbury Road, N19 4RS
• Cost: Free - 150 spaces available
• Food, stalls and activities.

Join us in beautiful outdoor settings for a series of free, participatory concerts that remind us of the strength we find in each other — and in the natural world around us.  All are welcome. Come and be part of something uplifting.

No need to book.

No Direction Home - live comedy

• When: Doors open 6pm, event starts at 7pm
• Where: Union Chapel, 19b Compton Terrace, N1 2UN
• For: Age 12 and over - anyone under 16 must be accompanied by an adult
• Cost: 100 free tickets for Refugees or those seeking asylum / £12 plus booking fee or £10 concession plus booking fee
• Bar refreshments and snacks and pre-show meal at Margin’s Café (booking required)
• Wheelchair accessible.

Show up. Laugh for a cause. Comedians include: Dane Baptiste, Kyrah Gray, Kate Cheka and more. Hosted by Selam Amare and in partnership with LoungesTv, Counterpoint Arts, Makrooh UK, RefugeeWeek. All proceeds go to support communities in Congo, Ethiopia and Sudan.

Book your tickets on the Union Chapel website.

Postal Museum Visit

• When: 11am
• Where: 15-20 Phoenix Place, WC1X 0DA
• For: Age 4 and over
• Cost: Free - 40 tickets available (2 tickets per person)
• Accessible toilets.

An unmissable day of adventure that children will love.  Come visit this museum, enjoy the interactive exhibitions, ride on the postal train and learn about this interesting history. It is a real day out for any age.

Book space for Postal Museum on Eventbrite.

Exhibition by Damel Carayol: Afstract Figurative

• When: 12 - 5pm, artist talk at 2pm
• Where: Black Cultural Centre, 16-18 Hornsey Road, N7 7BP
• Cost: Free - space for 30 guests
• Wheelchair accessible.
• Free snacks available.

An exhibition led by Damel, the Artist who will present prints from his fine art collection on the aftermath of Grenfell which will include 'The Boy that would be King 'Yahya Hashim' & 'Pause for Thought' 'Khadija Saye'.  Our Artist in Residence will be curating artworks by Islington residents who have lived experience of seeking sanctuary.  The works are inspired by aspects of their local community.

2pm: Artist talk on a place to belong and community power.

No need to book.

Drama Sessions for young people (11-17 years)

• When: 3pm - 5pm
• Where: Young Actors Theatre Islington, 70-72 Barnsbury Road, N1 0ES
• For: Age 11 to 17 only
• Cost: Free - available to those seeking sanctuary in Islington

If you are interested in theatre and want to try something new, book and join this free theatre workshop, of creative acting and storytelling. If you love the taster session, you will be able to received free drama classes for a whole year!

To book a place, call: 020 7278 2101

Shahnai Band – Iranian Folk Music

• When: Doors open 6.45pm, event starts 7.30pm
• Where: Union Chapel, 19b Compton Terrace, N1 2UN
• For: Age 18 and above
• Cost: £25 per person or £40 for a refugee to attend for free as well
• Wheelchair accessible.
• Bar and refreshments available to buy.

To celebrate Refugee Week, Union Chapel Church are proud to present an evening of Iranian Folk Music with the renowned Shahnai Band.  Iranian folk music is a rich tapestry of sounds and stories, reflecting the diverse cultural heritage of Iran's various regions. This traditional music is not just an art form but a living history, passed down through generations, capturing the spirit and traditions of the Iranian people.  Shahnai Band will take you through a musical journey to explore the culture of Iranian music. From the soulful melodies of Khorasan to the vibrant rhythms of Lorestan, the intricate tunes of Kurdistan, the lively beats of Azarbaijan, and melodies of Gilan.  Shahnai Band aims to create a journey through the diverse musical landscapes of Iran, offering a glimpse into our rich cultural heritage.

Book a ticket to Shahnai Band on the Union Chapel website.