Refugee Week 2023
York Refugee Week is one of the most vibrant in the country, please support events with all the shares, support and love!
Follow York Refugee Week on social media:
Calendar of Events
Saturday 10th june
Traditional Ladies & Girls Night
4:30-10:30PM: Knavesmire primary school yo23 1hy
There will be a chance to chat, network, share food, music and dance, so come along and have some fun!
A female DJ will be playing traditional music so all can have a dance. Come in your traditional clothes and bring a plate of traditional food. (Drinks will be provided.) There will also be a raffle so bring along some pennies. Parking is limited, so please try to car share.
Monday 12th June
Hosting and hospitality with refugees: learning from research and practice
10am-3:30pm: University of york
Hear from researchers, practitioners and people with lived experience at this event hosted by Yorkshire and Humber Migration Research Network. See their website for more information and register on Eventbrite.
tuesday 13th june
Afghanistan Day
11am-1pm: Harrogate college
A celebration of Afghan culture, this event sponsored by the Refugee Council will include film, food, poems, songs, art and authentic dress and will raise money for women’s healthcare and education in Afghanistan. For more information, see their website.
Monday 19th june
2-5pm: amnesty bookshop, Micklegate
There will be an awareness-raising mini-demonstration outside the shop.
tuesday 20th june
pub quiz in aid of RAY (Refugee action york)
7pm: The winning Post, bishopthorpe road
Our hugely popular FUNdraiser for RAY is back with host Alan Leach this year! Come along with a team of 5 or come on your own and we’ll join you up in a team. Have some fun and raise money and awareness. No need to register ahead, just show up!
Cost: Donations to enter (suggested donation £2)
blackout poems for “Missing” others: A creative Participatory Workshop
11am-1pm: Berrick Saul building, university of york
By employing blackout poetry on news reports about the refugee and migrant crisis in the Mediterranean, we will collectively rewrite narratives as a first step in acknowledging so many losses of human lives and our ethical responsibility as contemporary citizens. For more information and to register, see their website.
tuesday 20th and Friday 23rd june
art workshops
4:30-6:30pm: south bank studios/ york vineyard church
Through art, we will bring the young people of different cultures together and forge a sense of a shared language, as well as providing a space for creativity and fun. The workshop on 20th June at South Bank Studios will be for 11-17 year olds, while 7-11 year olds are welcome at the workshop on 23rd June at York Vineyard Church. To register, or for further information, see their flyer or contact contact@yorkcos.org.uk.
wednesday 21st june
community barbeque
4-6pm: York St John university allotments
For more information, contact f.howlett@yorksj.ac.uk
Thursday 22nd and Friday 23rd june
Yahala mataam: york’s pop-up refugee restaurant
7pm: york city church, the citadel, gillygate
On Thursday 22nd June, the Syrian team will be offering a traditional Syrian meal, and the Afghan team will prepare food from their homeland on Friday 23rd June.
Booking required via their website.
saturday 24th june
football tournament
2pm-5pm: University of york, heslington east campus, york sport village
Calling all football fans! Join us to support an exciting charity football tournament as 6 teams of young refugees and others battle it out for the Sam Pegram Cup!
An afternoon of culture, arts and craft activities
1-3pm: york explore library, museum street
Sponsored by Our City Hub, a City of York Council and Explore Library partnership. For more information, see their flyer.
Sunday 25th june
offering compassion
an interfaith service and lunch
11am-1pm: unitarian chapel, st saviourgate, yo1 8nq
York Unitarians host a bring and share vegetarian lunch following an interfaith service. Please come along and join, even if you can’t bring any food as there is always plenty to share.
Children’s storytime and art competition
2-3:30pm: york explore library, museum street
Storytime featuring picture books about refugees, followed by an art session with the theme of compassion. A prize will be awarded for the best artwork, judged by previous winner.
ukrainian music and culture
5-7pm: city screen picturehouse, coney street
Residents and guests of York are invited to enjoy a Ukrainian music and cultural showcase. For more information and details about booking, see their flyer.
monday 26th and thursday 29th june
lived experience panel discussion
5-6:30pm: west offices, station rise, yo1 6ga
Join us for an exploration of the Ugandan Asian crisis with these talks and Q&A sessions by Shamim Eimaan, Fazila Zannar and Yogesh Joshi who were expelled by Idi Amin in 1972. Book for free on Eventbrite.
York Refugee Week is sponsored by the University of York and York City of Sanctuary
RAY maintains a hardship fund to support destitute families and individuals. The fund is used to ensure people have enough food and clothes and to enable young service users to start school with all the equipment they need. This fund is supported entirely by voluntary donations and even very small donations make a massive difference to our service users. If you would like to give a donation to the hardship fund as part of Refugee Week you can do so here
Throughout the Week
19th - 30th June
Uganda50 Exhibition: Discover stories of those who escaped Idi Amin’s regime 50 years ago, when he expelled all Asians from Uganda, forcing over 60,000 people to flee for their lives. This emotive, engaging exhibition was commissioned by Uganda50 York and produced by Navrang Arts. It can be viewed Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5pm at West Offices, Station Rise, York YO1 6GA in the Main Visitors Entrance. For more information, see their flyer.
19th-25th June
Amnesty Bookshop: Throughout the week, the shop on Micklegate will be providing myth-busting information to take away and a historical display of the emigration of refugees in the context of a changing welcoming and hostile environment.
Book of Refugees: University of York is creating a multilingual record of memories, dreams and aspirations of refugees in the UK. For more information, see their flyer and website.
Voices: Tune in daily through Refugee Week to Jorvik Radio’s morning show to hear stories of individuals with a refugee background, running between 9:40 and 9:50, or listen on catch up.
