The theme for this year’s World Refugee Day focused on including refugees in communities where they have found safety. The first ever official Irish celebration of Refugee Week runs from 19-25 June with the theme of connection and compassion into action, and suggests simple acts to support refugees and promote inclusion and welcome in communities.
To link in with these themes and amplify the call to action of Refugee Week, here are five concrete ways to support refugees:
- Connect to Stories: There are many powerful books, podcasts or films that can help us to see the world through another’s perspective and inspire us to take action or reach out to support people fleeing war and conflict. The Refugee Week website has a list of films here, podcasts and audio here, and a great list of books (also see this Children’s Books Ireland reading list here) as well as other Simple Acts.
- Attend Events: The Refugee Week website has a list of events, including Street Feasts, that are taking place this week and weekend across Ireland. Find out more here.
- Advocate: Use your voice to advocate for the rights and needs of refugees, and for inclusion and welcome in our society. Engage with policymakers, take part in marches, participate in awareness campaigns, and support organisations and groups fostering inclusion, protection of rights, and sanctuary. A list of Irish organisations supporting refugees is here, and other great organisations to link in with are listed on the Refugee Week Ireland page.
- Explore Community Sponsorship: Community sponsorship offers a unique opportunity to directly welcome and support refugees and their families to resettle in your community. By joining or starting a community sponsorship group, you can contribute to the resettlement process by helping to find accommodation, providing language and translation support, and facilitating new arrivals to integrate and make a new home in the community. Community sponsorship is a tangible, practical way to make a meaningful difference in the lives of refugees. You can find out more or get involved here.
- Become a Host: The crisis in Ukraine has forced thousands of people from Ukraine to seek safety and refuge in Ireland and across the world. Could you open your home and become a host? This act of hospitality provides a safe haven for families and individuals as they try to rebuild their lives, and demonstrates the power of human kindness and solidarity. Organisations such as Helping Irish Hosts can advise on how to get started.
This World Refugee Week, and every week, it’s the ways that we connect and reach out that can make a difference. Whether through sharing stories, attending events, advocacy, community sponsorship, or hosting, we have the power to create change, and contribute to a more inclusive and welcoming society for all.
