Refugee Week 2022

Refugee Week is an annual festival celebrating the contributions, creatively and resilience of refugees. It aims to bring people together, provide a platform for voices, perspectives and creative work of refugees and bring about deeper understanding of refugee experiences. The theme for this year is ‘Healing.’

With a history of working with our local community and welcoming those in need, Solent University is committed to achieving University of Sanctuary status in 2022. Learning and sharing are fundamental principles, and we have much to learn from those seeking sanctuary about holding onto hope when going on seems impossible.

Whether it is about looking after ourselves and each other in challenging times, overcoming divisions, or coming together for the survival of our shared planet, healing matters to us all. This Refugee Week, we are inviting you to join the movement with us in celebrating community, mutual care, and the human ability to start again through engaging in some ‘Simple Acts’.

Join the movement: We are keen to engage and build a network of students, staff, academics, alumni, and external partners with lived experiences of seeking sanctuary, teaching, and researching topics related to seeking sanctuary, or supporting people seeking sanctuary.

If you would like to join our network or speak to us about collaborating in future projects, then please get in touch with the Communities Development Team.

Have a Chat: The Wilberforce Dialogue is an annual event hosted by the University in recognition of the Wilberforce family, who championed social justice and equality. In recognition of the University’s commitment to becoming a University of Sanctuary this year’s Wilberforce Dialogue focuses on the theme of ‘Can safe passage really exist?'

Come and join us online on Tuesday 21 June for a thought-provoking evening of discussion and debate between 5.30pm-6.30pm. Register for free here.

Plant a Seed: Whatever we have been through, nature can calm and ground us, and help us believe that new beginnings are possible. Reconnecting with the earth can also help us remember our place in the natural world, rediscovering that we are part of nature, and it is part of us.

Join us on Thursday 23 June between 12pm-2pm in planting seeds in the Solent Food Garden and planting some window pots for you to take home.

Find out more about our work in becoming a University of Sanctuary by visiting the community section of our website.