Refugee Week 2019

The University is running a series of events in support of national and regional activities celebrating refugees.

The University has a diverse community of staff and students and is proud to be holding a series of events celebrating refugees throughout June.

The activities run from the 17 – 28 June and include filming screenings, art exhibitions and workshops. They are in support of both the Scottish Refugee Festival and the Refugee Week.

All of the events aim to celebrate the contributions that refugees make to society, as well as creating the opportunity for people to meet with others from different backgrounds and learn about other cultures. Both Refugee Week and Refugee Festival Scotland help to raise the profile of issues faced by refugees and create a platform for their voices to be heard.

Refugee Festival Scotland

The Scottish Refugee Council will be holding events throughout Scotland from the 20 – 30 June. It celebrates the contribution that refugees make to Scotland - this year the theme of the festival is “Making Art, Making Home” focusing on the talent, creativity and reliance of new Scottish Artists.

Refugee Week

Centred around World Refugee Day on 20 June, Refugee Week in the UK features a nationwide programme of arts, cultural and educational events. It aims to help facilitate a greater understanding of why people seek sanctuary, and to help create a better understanding between different communities. The theme for this year’s Refugee Week is “you, me and those who came before”, exploring the lives of refugees and those who have welcomed them.

Sarah Hoey, Immigration Legal Adviser

Sarah gave us her thoughts on Refugee Week.

Why are events like the Refugee Festival Scotland and Refugee Week so important?

The University of Edinburgh is proud to be hosting a series of events in support of Refugee Week and the Refugee Festival Scotland. These events are important as they provide a positive platform to celebrate refugees, their stories and what they contribute to our society.

How can events like this help to bring people together?

We hope that when people come along to these events they will achieve a better understanding of why people seek sanctuary, and that we can use our voices to let the refugee communities know that we support and welcome them at our University.

In what ways do you feel events like this can help to raise the profile of issues faced by refugees?

These events allow people the opportunity to discover the voices and stories of refugees themselves, and the space to challenge ourselves with questions like ‘what would I do if this happened to me or my family’? These events remind us that there is more that unites us than divides us, and we are part of the same global community.

Events being held at the University

Words without borders

From 17 - 30 June, the University library will be diversifying its collections and will be creating a display in the foyer of the Main Library. The books will focus on the experience of refugees, responses by organisations, the causes of force migration and literature highlighting issues faced by refugees.

Housing for Asylum Seekers and Refugees in Europe

On 25 June, a team from the GLIMER project will share findings from their research into housing for refugees and asylum seekers across Europe. The event will explore successes and failures, as well as what can be learned to help improve accommodation for displaced migrants.

An Introduction to Syrian Language and Culture

The Alwaleed Centre is hosting an event giving you the opportunity to explore Syrian language, food, and culture, with members of the local Syrian community, and staff and students from the University of Edinburgh's Department of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies.

For a full programme of events and information on how to book your place, please visit the events page:

Refugee Week 

For information on other events taking place visit the Refugee week site, and the Refugee Week Scotland 2019 Programme:

Refugee Week website