Connect, a day of free events bringing families from all communities together will take place on Saturday 1 July, 11am-4pm at Brighton Dome Café-bar. Fun for all ages will include everything from kite making workshops to learning the art of batik, and table tennis with the country’s first Club of Sanctuary.

Curated by the poet, Monika-Akila Richards, Connect is the culmination of events held across Brighton & Hove to mark Refugee Week. This year’s theme is #OurSharedFuture .

A mini #RefugeesWelcome parade organised by Hummingbird Project will kick start the day.  Meeting in Pelham Square Gardens, Trafalgar Street at 10am and winding its way through North Laine to Brighton Dome, all are welcome to join. The theme is Forest Carnival (inspired by The Hummingbird and the Forest Fire a story told by Kenyan environmentalist Dr Wangari Maathai – think flower crowns, greens, gold and teal).

In the Dome Foyer, there will be live music and food from the Sussex Syrian community, Kurdish and Oromo dishes, a performance from Sudanese poet and oud player Bashir Al Gammar, Bhá’í storytelling with Farah Mohebati, and  sounds from around the world from DJ Tony Kalume and Bestfoot Music.

Learn to play the oud and qanun (Syrian instruments) and make your own puppet to perform in a puppet show.

See Magnum Photo’s stunning “I Welcome” photo exhibition for Amnesty International.

Take part in a photoshoot with the flag for the city of Brighton & Hove designed by artist Gil Mualem-Doron, who is currently on national tour with his provocative replacement for the Union Flag, a collage of traditional fabric designs of former colonies and refugees’ and migrants’ home countries.

Find out about Ben & Jerry’s new refugee campaign and enjoy a free ice cream.

Richard Williams, chair of Sanctuary-on-Sea,  says “We are so proud that Brighton & Hove is about to welcome our 10th resettled Syrian family.  At the beginning of Refugee Week we remembered Jo Cox and her belief that we have more in common than that which divides us. On Saturday, families from across Brighton & Hove’s communities will connect over food, music, crafts and poetry, and imagine our shared future together.”

In order to speed up entry into Brighton Dome please avoid bringing bags if at all possible, as there will be security checks on the door.