We can't wait to see you at next week's conference! We have a fantastic line-up of guest speakers and artists to get us ready for this year's festival.  To kick us off, we'll be welcomed by our brilliant co-chairs Enver Solomon (CEO, Refugee Council) and Dima Mekdad, as well as UN Agency for Refugees' Vicky Tennant.  Climate activist Yusuf Baluch will be in conversation with our friend Ros Wynne-Jones (award-winning journalist) to reflect on Yusuf's activism and this year's theme of Compassion. 

You will find out all the ways you can take part this year as well as hear from a broad range of incredible Refugee Week organisers doing inspirational work across the world to celebrate Refugee Week. Plus there will be performances by Ege Dündar (poet) and music by FACESOUL.

The networking floor will be open from 10am until 1.30pm to allow everyone the opportunity to connect with each other, network and join the movement! Full programme can be found below.

The Refugee Week festival only lasts a week but the incredible Refugee Week network is active all year!

For Artists/ Creatives

• Delfina Foundation's Open Call for participants: Exile Retreat with artist Gelare Khoshgozaran. Details here (deadline 15 March)
• Art Reach and Counterpoints Arts launch Open Call for outdoor art commissions on the theme of “Climate Justice and Displacement”. More info here (deadline 17 March)
• Battersea Arts Centre (London), Take Me Somewhere (Glasgow), Tramway (Glasgow), Transform (Leeds) and Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts (Brighton) have come together to support artists who are ready to dream big and create a new work of scale that can tour nationally and internationally. £50,000 comission, for more info and how to apply visit here (deadline 21 March)
• Mafwa has launched micro-commissioning opportunity for artists of migrant heritage and/or working in East Leeds. Details here (deadline 29 March)
• the other side of hope, a UK-based literary magazine edited by refugees and immigrants, is open for submissions. They consider artwork, poetry and fiction by refugees and immigrants only (no theme) as well as non-fiction, author interviews & book reviews by everyone (theme: migration) Submit here (deadline 31 May)

News & Events

• No Direction Home Stand up Comedy Gigs by aspiring comedians of refugee and migrant backgrounds, alongside hilarious headliners. Soho Theatre April 3/ May 22/ Jun 26. Tickets here
  
• Schools of Sanctuary: Refugee Week Launch. In this FREE hour-long online event, we will be sharing the latest resources, opportunities and suggested activities for schools and educators to take part in this year’s Refugee Week in June. (25 April, register here)
• Women’s Institute Conversation Cafes is mobilising its network of 190,000 women to offer refugees a warm welcome when they arrive in the UK to meet others and learn new skills. For more information visit this website
• Reset are launching 'CommuniTeas’ to increase the number of people sponsoring refugees in the UK by bringing people together over a cup of tea. They're asking individuals and communities to throw a tea party and bring the conversation of community-led welcome to their communities. The campaign will run from January to March 2023. Could you set up a tea party and help grow this movement? Contact them here
  
  Do you have something you'd like to share with the network? Get in touch!