After seven days of concerts, talks, parades and parties, Refugee Week 2018 draws to a close in Brighton & Hove on Sunday 24 June with a glittery “Refugees Welcome” parade and “Together”, a refugee and migrant-led day of music, theatre, art and poetry at the Brighton Dome and Museum.
Building on the success of last year’s “Connect” Day, Sanctuary on Sea has worked with refugees and migrant communities and partner organisations to create a day-long celebration of the creativity and resilience of refugees and opportunity for everyone to make new friends and learn new skills.
Jenny & Jamal. Credit: Luke Boyden
The day is supported by Brighton & Hove City Council and the Great Get Together, founded in memory of the late Jo Cox MP to strengthen communities by focussing on what they share. Caroline Lucas, MP, will join the parade and open “Together”.
The Dome’s doors will open at 11 and all are welcome to take part in activities ranging from West African drumming to chess, from puppet making to poetry and book readings, and from Ndebele dollmaking to table tennis. A full programme is available here.
Richard Williams, Chair of Sanctuary on Sea, said, “All this week people across Brighton & Hove have been coming together to celebrate the richness that refugees and migrants bring to our city. Come along on Sunday and who knows who you will meet, what new skills you will learn?”
The day will start with a parade through central Brighton, to be led by the Hummingbird Project with the support of Same Sky. All are welcome to assemble outside Jubilee Library at 9.30am. If you don’t have a placard or banner yet, come to a workshop and make one at ONCA gallery on Saturday at 12-4pm.
Elaine Ortiz, founder of the Hummingbird Refugee project, said, “This weekend is the 70th anniversary of the arrival of the Windrush. In the same way that the Notting Hill Carnival was a peaceful, beautiful reaction to the hostility faced by the Windrush generation, our parade is a joyful celebration of refugees and the diversity they bring to our city.”