Refugee Week 2024

Refugee Week was from 17th to 23rd June and this year had the theme, ‘Our Home?’

The vision of Refugee Week is for refugees and asylum seekers to live safely within inclusive and resilient communities like North Dorset, where they can continue to make a valuable contribution.

At Shaftesbury Refugee Group we took the message to 6th formers in local schools so that they could use their good hearts and skills to lead on Refugee Week activities in their schools, in the next few weeks with the resources of Refugee Week and the publicity materials here.

We also provided a moment of gathering and celebration around the festival of Ivan Kupalo on 21st June.

Wreath making for Ivan Kupalo

The question being asked by Refugee Week was, What if we could do more?

•What would happen if this Refugee Week we extended our warmth and hospitality beyond our own homes and made entire neighbourhoods more welcoming?

•What other simple acts like having a chat, walking together, or sending a message of welcome could help everyone feel like they belong? We are very keen on these simple acts of kindness and know at first hand what a difference they can make to people’s lives.

•Our home is also global. We are interconnected; we share the earth’s resources, climate and its challenges. As we speak, millions of people are being displaced from their homes because of the climate crisis. What support can we give them?

Together, in Refugee Week and beyond in the year to come, let’s practice our solidarity and make “Our Home” a more welcoming, safe and sustainable place for all.